The Clemson Tigers' leading tackler from a year ago was named to the 2026 USA TODAY Sports preseason All-America college football team Wednesday.
Linebacker Sammy Brown was one of 52 players across the Power Four conferences, Notre Dame, and two Group of Six schools named to USA TODAY Sports' preseason team. Brown was a First Team selection and the only Clemson player selected.
It's the third preseason honor for Brown this week, who on Monday was one of 50 players named to the watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award.
The Peach State native made USA TODAY Sports' preseason All-ACC team earlier this summer, as well as the 2026 Nagurski Trophy watch list, the preseason All-ACC team as voted on by media members who attended media days,
and Phil Steele's preseason All-America team.
Brown recorded 106 tackles overall (51 solo) last season. He had five sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble while starting all 13 games.
In two seasons at Clemson, Brown has 186 total career tackles (99 solo), plus 25 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and eight pass breakups. A five-star recruit out of Jefferson High School in Georgia, he ranked as the nation's No. 2 linebacker recruit by 247Sports in the class of 2024.
Clemson is ranked No. 23 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. The Tigers are unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll but received the most votes for any team outside the rankings with 112, more than double that of the Florida Gators with 51 votes.
Clemson opens the 2026 season against LSU on Sept. 5 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Kickoff for Clemson-LSU is 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC.
ESPN analyst gives update on Clemson’s ‘QB battle,’ expects competition
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) August 19, 2026
📸 Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network , USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co https://t.co/RfZ6XsrILq pic.twitter.com/8uQmskFMOU
Clemson football schedule 2026
All start times Eastern.
- Sept. 5: at LSU, 7:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern, 7:30 p.m., ACC Network
- Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina, noon, ESPN
- Sept. 25: at California, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
- Oct. 3: vs. Miami, TBA
- Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern, TBA
- Oct. 24: vs. Virginia Tech, TBA
- Oct. 31: at Florida State, TBA
- Nov. 7: at Syracuse, TBA
- Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech, TBA
- Nov. 20: at Duke, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
- Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina, TBA
Are people out on Dabo Swinney after Clemson’s unranked in AP Poll?
— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) August 19, 2026
📸 Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network , USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect https://t.co/EkXywG7pPJ pic.twitter.com/SWsNi4fXAh
Contact us at @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson starter named to USA TODAY Sports preseason All-America team
