Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney discussed the NCAA transfer portal during his media availability on Wednesday evening, explaining how the Tigers strategically approach its use. Swinney emphasized that while Clemson doesn’t heavily rely on the portal, it remains an option for filling specific needs that can’t be addressed through traditional high school recruiting.
“When we have a need and we can’t address it through high school, we fill our need,” Swinney said. That philosophy was evident this week when the Tigers brought in transfer wide receiver Tristan Smith to bolster their roster.
Swinney also revealed that Clemson is actively searching for a defensive end in the portal, citing a late decommitment from four-star prospect Bryce Davis as the catalyst. Davis, a Greensboro (N.C.) native and top-100 recruit in the 2025 class, signed with Duke earlier this month, leaving a key gap in Clemson’s recruiting class.
“We are looking for a guy at D-end because we had a kid decommit from us,” Swinney explained. “If he had not decommitted, we’d be done. But we needed to go get a guy. So, we’ve been tracking some players at that position.”
One of those players is Purdue transfer Will Heldt, who visited Clemson earlier this week. Heldt, regarded as one of the top edge rushers in the portal, received extended attention during his multi-day visit, complete with Clemson’s signature “orange carpet” treatment.
With the transfer portal increasingly shaping the college football landscape, Clemson remains deliberate in its approach, looking to maintain its roster balance while adapting to the modern recruiting era.