Clemson Tigers star cornerback Ashton Hampton is entering the 2026 season as one of the best players in the country.
In Bleacher Report's 2027 NFL Draft Big Board, Hampton was ranked as the 11th-best player in the country. He could be one of the first cornerbacks off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft if Hampton plays at a high level in the 2026 season for the Tigers.
In his freshman year in 2024, Hampton finished with 27 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, five pass deflections, two interceptions, and a pick-six.
He played well again in the 2025 season, recording 45 total tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, nine pass deflections, and an interception. The 20-year-old will be a key piece for Clemson as they look to have a bounce-back season.
Dabo Swinney's group struggled mightily, finishing with a 7-6 record and falling way short of making it to the College Football Playoff. The Tigers had a talented roster, but they couldn't put it together on the field.
With defensive stars like Peter Woods, T.J Parker, and Avieon Terrell off to the NFL, Clemson will need players like Hampton to be even more impactful.
Terrell will be a big loss to the secondary, as he played extremely well in the 2025 season, finishing with 48 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, nine pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
To replace the lost talent, Swinney brought in more talent through the transfer portal, including 10 defensive players. The Tigers also made some changes to the coaching staff, bringing in Chad Morris as the offensive coordinator and Rich Bisaccia as the special teams coordinator.
With the changes, Clemson will be looking to turn around their program and reestablish themselves as one of the best teams in the country.
Hampton will be a key piece of the Tigers' defense as an elite press-corner cornerback on the outside. If he has another quality season, he will be competing with players like Alabama's Zabien Brown and Notre Dame's Leonard Moore to be the first cornerback off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft.