Editor’s Note: This is the 25th part of a 25-part series. Using our still-too-early Top 25, 247Sports is giving a post-National Signing Day outlook for college football’s top teams.

Clemson Spring Game: April 14

Clemson did not repeat as national champions, but a young squad in the post-Deshaun Watson era proved the Tigers aren’t going anywhere. Dabo Swinney’s team opened a brand new facility in 2017, won a third straight ACC title, reached the College Football Playoff and signed one of the best recruiting classes in history, at least in terms of per prospect quality.

Crazy thing is, 2018 could be even better for the Tigers.

Clemson returns the large majority of its starters, including the entirety of what should be the best defensive line in football. If a Kelly Bryant-led offense can improve a bit, the Tigers are your too-early national title favorite.

Offseason Outlook

(Returning Starters: Offense – 7, Defense – 8)

Let’s talk defense first for Clemson, because that remains the team’s strength.

No team benefited more from the NFL early entrant deadline than the Tigers as Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins and Austin Bryant all opted to return to school. Add in Dexter Lawrence, who will likely be a top 5 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and the Tigers’ defensive front is loaded. Ferrell, Wilkins and Lawrence are all future first round picks, and Clemson has talent behind them like incoming five-star freshmen Xavier Thomas and KJ Henry.

Clemson’s front four will have a chance to be the nation’s most dominant individual unit in the country next season. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables, perhaps the best in the country at his role, will have the luxury of creating a pass rush with just four down lineman. That should help the second level, which did endure a few losses.

Linebacker comes with some questions, specifically because of how well Dorian O’Daniel played a year ago. The senior finished with 88 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions. That play earned him an 87.6 PFF College grade, which was the best for The Tigers defense. Clemson will return the pair of Kendall Joseph (96 tackles, 5 TFL) and Tre Lamar (50 tackles, 5 TFL), which provides a foundation for the linebacker corp. But O’Daniel isn’t easy to replace, especially because of his ability to cover in passing downs. Isaiah Simmons has moved from safety to linebacker to aid in filling that role. Jalen Williams, O’Daniel’s backup a year ago, still must prove he can cover.

Secondary is a bit of a question mark. Senior Ryan Carter was Clemson’s top cover corner a year ago, and starting safety Van Smith opted to head to the NFL early. That said, the Tigers have two returning safeties with quality experience in Tanner Muse and K’Von Wallace. The depth at cornerback does present some questions, but young players like Trayvon Mullen and A.J. Terrell flashed a year ago. Mark Fields is in line to compete for a starting job.

Offensively, the Tigers are pretty well set outside of a few wide receiver questions and replacing Tyrone Crowder at right guard and Taylor Hearn on the left side. Mitch Hyatt returning to school was a boon for the offensive line, a unit that should be a solid anchor for the offense in 2018. Running back should be a strength for Clemson thanks to the one-two punch of Tavien Feaster and Travis Etienne. The former rushed for 766 yards and 7.2 yards per carry as a true freshman, while Feaster ran for 669 yards and 6.3 yards a tote as a sophomore.

Wide receiver is a position that will see quite a bit of change. Deon Cain (58 catches, 734 yards) and Ray-Ray McCloud (49 catches, 503 yards) both left early for the NFL, leaving Hunter Renfrow (60 catches, 602 yards) as the only Tiger receiver who had more than 20 catches a year ago. But there is young talent to build around. Tee Higgins, a five-star receiver in the 2017 class, had 17 catches for 345 yards last year and should emerge as a featured offensive player. Amari Rodgers, who had 19 catches as a true freshman, should slot well in McCloud’s place – Rodgers is the son of USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin.

As for quarterback, well, the Tigers aren’t short on options – more on that below.

Offseason Storyline to Follow

On the surface, the Tigers shouldn’t have any questions under center.

Kelly Bryant took over ably for Deshaun Watson a year ago, completing 65.8 percent of his passes and throwing for 2,802 yards. Additionally, Bryant rushed for 665 yards and led the Tigers to a 12-2 overall record. Yet, Bryant will enter the spring with some questions about his starting status.

As solid as Bryant was in his first season as a starter, the Tigers ranked just 61st nationally in passing offense and 79th in average yards per attempt. The first number isn’t a huge deal. Alabama, for example, ranked 91st nationally in that category and won a national title. But the yards per attempt category is. Clemson is the only playoff team from a year ago to rank worse than 26th in that statistic.

Clemson’s offense needs open up a bit more through the air in 2018 or it risks being one-dimensional.

Improvement there could easily come from Bryant. You only get better as a starter with experience, and Bryant improved as the season went along. But Bryant’s 18-of-36 effort for 124 yards and two interceptions against Alabama does create offseason questions.

So does the arrival of the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect Trevor Lawrence.

A generational passing talent, Lawrence is the highest rated QB in 247Sports history. Swinney’s already said Lawrence is more physically ready than Watson was at this point in his career, and Watson played as a true freshman. Add in sophomore QB Hunter Johnson, a five-star QB in the 2017 class, and the Tigers’ QB room is rather crowded.

Quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter already said the quarterbacks will split reps almost evenly this spring. Bryant might remain the starting quarterback, but he’s going to have to work to keep that job.

Instant-Impact Addition

Derion Kendrick (WR): The Tigers are replacing a lot of production at wide receiver, and Kendrick is well-equipped to help fill that void. A 6-foot-1, 184-pound five-star who played quarterback in high school, Kendrick is a plus athlete who is at his best with the ball in his hands. Kendrick will need some refinement as a wide receiver, but in camps he showed a good feel for the position and great natural ball skills. Kendrick is a competitor, and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if he forces Clemson’s coaches to find him touches as a true freshman.

Previous Teams Ranked in 247Sports' Top 25 Countdown

No. 25: South Carolina

No. 24: Notre Dame

No. 23: Oregon

No. 22: USC

No. 21: Kansas State

No. 20: LSU

No. 19: UCF

No. 18: West Virginia

No. 17: Virginia Tech

No. 16: TCU

No. 15: Florida State

No. 14: Mississippi State

No. 13: Stanford

No. 12: Michigan

No. 11: Auburn

No. 10: Penn State

No. 9: Washington

No. 8: Oklahoma

No. 7: Michigan State

No. 6: Wisconsin

No. 5: Miami

No. 4: Georgia

No. 3: Ohio State

No. 2: Alabama