Clemson defender AJ Hoffler enters transfer portal

AJ Hoffler (middle) is a former 4-star prospect now in the transfer portal.

by TigerNet Staff - Thu Dec 26 15:03:19 GMT-05:00 2024

Clemson defensive end A.J. Hoffler announced his entry into the transfer portal on Thursday.

Hoffler recently played seven snaps and had an assisted tackle in the Playoff game at Texas.

The Tigers had recently gone into the transfer portal for their first-ever defensive addition at defensive end, with 4-star portal entry Will Heldt from Purdue, who has two seasons of eligibility left.

Hoffler joins fellow Clemson portal entries in WRs Troy Stellato (not committed publicly yet) and Noble Johnson (Arizona State) and safety Sherrod Covil Jr. (Virginia Tech).

Hoffler Clemson bio

Entered 2024 credited with four tackles and two pass breakups in 74 defensive snaps over seven games in his debut season.

2024: Recorded a tackle for loss vs. No. 1 Georgia … made one tackle vs. NC State … posted two tackles (0.5 for loss) vs. Stanford … credited with three tackles vs. The Citadel … added three tackles vs. No. 16 South Carolina … made one tackle vs. No. 8 SMU.

2023: Credited with four tackles and two pass breakups in 74 defensive snaps over seven games … recorded one tackle in collegiate debut vs. Charleston Southern … added a tackle and a pass breakup vs. Florida Atlantic … broke up a pass at Syracuse … made one tackle at NC State … made one tackle vs. Georgia Tech … made one tackle vs. Virginia.

Before Clemson: Florida native who moved to Georgia at a young age and helped Atlanta’s Woodward Academy finish 2022 with 11-2 record and a 7-0 conference mark … finished career with 90 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 15 sacks … had one interception, one fumble recovery and six forced fumbles … notched 21 tackles in seven games as a senior … posted 47 tackles, including nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss, in 11 games as a junior … had 22 tackles, including four sacks and seven tackles for loss as a sophomore … had three sacks in a pair of games in 2021 … played for coach John Hunt at Woodward Academy … ranked as the No. 214 overall player in the nation by 247Sports … ranked as the 26th-best player in Georgia by ESPN.com … ranked by Rivals as the 33rd-best player in Georgia and the nation’s 35th-best defensive end … PrepStar ranked him as a four-star prospect and as the nation’s No. 282 overall player.

Personal: Committed to Clemson on June 21, 2022 … born Aug. 9, 2004 … product of Woodward Academy, an athletic department that has placed recent alums in the NFL, MLB and NBA … his brother, Ozzie, is a defensive end/outside linebacker at Georgia State by way of Kansas State … enrolled at Clemson in summer 2023 … economics major … completed a microintership with Cisco in spring 2024 … last name pronounced “HOFF-lerr.”