As the portal wreaks havoc, depth is an issue at one spot for the Tigers

TJ Parker is the lone standout returning at defensive end for the Tigers.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Dec 08 07:00:06 GMT-04:00 2023

The transfer portal giveth and the transfer portal taketh away. For Clemson, it’s done far more taking than giving, which might need to change if the Tigers want depth next season.

Clemson’s latest announcements into the portal are safety Andrew Mukuba and defensive end David Ojiegbe. Let’s start with Mukuba. I was expecting that he would announce for the NFL – that’s what I’ve heard since the end of the South Carolina game – but I heard his NFL Draft Grade wasn’t great, and with the Tigers having so many talented young players at the safety spot, he decided to move on.

There has been a lot of smoke about safety RJ Mickens leaving – either for the draft or via transfer – and that hasn’t happened yet. As we get closer and closer to the start of bowl practice – and transfer portal offers start to slow down – it would seem to indicate a return. But right now? No one knows for sure.

As it stands today – including Mickens – the Tigers have seven scholarship safeties with two on the way. The scholarship players are Mickens, Tyler Venables, Sherrod Covil, Khalil Barnes, Kylen Webb, Kylon Griffin, and Rob Billings. The two committed players are Ricardo Jones and Noah Dixon.

Venables redshirted this season and has two years of eligibility remaining, and Mickens, if he comes back, will be in his last season. After tearing his ACL in November, Covil likely won’t participate in spring practice.

A way-too-early guess on starters? If Mickens returns, I could see him pairing with Griffin and Barnes continuing to play nickel. With the Tigers battling injuries down the stretch, both Griffin and Barnes were major contributors. If Mickens leaves, Barnes is so versatile you can slot him at safety, start the veteran Venables, or use Covil or one of the other youngsters. There are a lot of options there.

Defensive end is another matter. The Tigers have players, but do they have impact players? We just don’t know. Ojiegbe’s transfer was a bit of a surprise – his wasn’t a name I’ve heard – but he only played in two games, and both of those were blowouts in September.

The Tigers will have five scholarship defensive ends after the bowl game, with two 2024 recruits on the way. The five are Cade Denhoff, Zaire Patterson, Jahiem Lawson, TJ Parker, and AJ Hoffler. The incoming freshmen are Darien Mayo and Adam Kissayi.

We know all about Parker – he enters the 2023 bowl season credited with 38 tackles (11.0 for loss), 5.0 sacks, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery, as well as ten quarterback pressures. Hoffler is a talent, and contrary to what some might believe, he played in seven games this season with 74 snaps. Denhoff played in all 12 games but didn’t register a sack. Patterson has been largely MIA, and Lawson will enter his third season next year with just two tackles over five career games.

Right now, I am not sure that any of the three commits will be difference-makers right off the bat. Not like Parker. They will need time to develop. I wrote last year that I thought the coaching staff should have taken a defensive end in the portal, but they stood pat and signed Lawson. They added quality players in the 2023 signing class, but now one of those is gone. In my mind, they have to get one, and preferably two, defensive ends out of the portal. And not seniors looking for one last ride who will just provide depth.

No, the coaches need to go after starting-caliber players. My first call would have been to edge rusher Trey Moore out of UTSA, but it looks like he’s primed to either stay in state with Texas or with an Alabama or LSU in the hunt also. The clock is ticking on this position group.