Clemson on Wednesday began signing its latest batch of newcomers to its roster for the 2022 football season, but the Tigers have too many needs not to add to it later.
The question is, will the additions to Clemson’s 2022 recruiting class continue coming from the high school ranks? Or will Clemson hit the transfer portal for the first time in Dabo Swinney’s tenure to plug some holes?
Clemson inked 12 high school players during college football’s early signing period, which will continue through Friday. While Swinney said “anything is possible” over the next 48 hours, he doesn’t anticipate signing any more players until the traditional signing period rolls around in February.
Swinney said the plan is to continue to prioritize high school players in the search for help at positions of need, which include running back, cornerback, safety and linebacker, he said. One of the Tigers’ top remaining targets is Jennings (Louisiana) four-star running back Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of Clemson’s all-time leading rusher, Travis Etienne.
But even though Clemson has never brought in an undergraduate transfer through the transfer portal, Swinney has said in the past he’s not opposed to doing so depending on the situation. Swinney reiterated that Wednesday.
“That’s a never-ending deal,” he said of the portal. “We evaluate that every single day. We’ve looked at a lot of kids, but it’s got to be the right fit for us. Most of the kids in the portal are guys who aren’t playing where they are. There are obviously some exceptions to that, but we feel good about our roster and where we are right now.”
With the NCAA passing new transfer legislation last year that allows athletes to transfer from one Division I school to another and be immediately eligible one time during their collegiate careers, the number of portal entries continues to grow by the day. Fall-sport athletes have until May 1 to enter the portal and still be immediately eligible at their new school, so Clemson, like everyone else, will have to practice some patience if it doesn’t address all of its remaining needs in February.
“We’re certainly going to start with the high school player, but if we have a gap at a certain position from maybe a youth standpoint or an injury standpoint, then we keep all options open,” Swinney said. “That’s not just now. That’s all the way really until May because the portal is open for business until May 1. That could be something we have to deal with all the way until then.”
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