The Clemson football team wrapped up their season about a month ago with a road loss to Texas in the first round of the College Football Playoff. After a brief playoff drought unfamiliar to the fan base, the Tigers managed to break through this year. However, their season wasn’t significantly better than recent years. Clemson finished the regular season 9-3, but with the expanded College Football Playoff format and an automatic bid from winning the ACC title, they secured a spot in the postseason. Now that their season is over, Clemson could benefit from some key additions via the transfer portal to take the next step next year.
Clemson, a two-time national champion in the College Football Playoff era, is striving to return to that elite level, a goal shared passionately by its fan base. The Tigers remain a dominant force in the ACC, and that doesn’t appear likely to change anytime soon. With automatic playoff bids now in play, Clemson has a strong advantage in securing postseason spots. However, the real question is whether they can capitalize on those opportunities and win games at the playoff level moving forward.
This year, Clemson put up a strong fight in their playoff matchup against Texas. They started fast, jumping out to a 7-0 lead, but soon found themselves in a deep hole as Texas began to pull away. Despite the challenges, the Tigers clawed their way back into a competitive one-score battle in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the game ended in heartbreak, with Clemson falling short.
To improve for the 2025 season, the Tigers need to make adjustments. While head coach Dabo Swinney has traditionally been hesitant to rely on the transfer portal, adapting to this evolving era of college football may be essential to achieving sustained success. Here’s one transfer portal player Clemson should consider targeting to bolster their roster.
Clemson’s loss to Texas in the College Football Playoff could be softened by securing a transfer from the Longhorns. One player the Tigers should strongly consider is wide receiver Johntay Cook. A highly-touted recruit in his class, Cook has the potential to become a college football star. Initially committed to Washington, Cook’s stint there lasted less than two days before he and the Huskies mutually parted ways. Now back on the market, he represents a prime opportunity for Clemson.
With recent departures of key wide receivers, Clemson could greatly benefit from adding an experienced and dynamic talent like Cook to their roster. However, given his high profile, competition for his commitment will likely be fierce. Still, this is a move Dabo Swinney should seriously evaluate.
As of now, Clemson has added only three players via the transfer portal while losing five. The question remains: will this be the year Swinney takes a more aggressive approach to the portal? So far, the answer appears to be no.
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