College football’s early signing period is typically an exciting yet anxious time for programs nationwide, but Clemson isn’t expecting too many surprises this year.

The first chance for 2023 recruits to put pen to their National Letters of Intent will be Wednesday when a 72-hour signing window begins. When it does, Clemson has a good idea of whose signatures it will be landing. The Tigers enter the early signing period with 25 verbal commitments that currently make up the nation’s No. 10 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

“The hay is pretty much in the barn,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said recently.

Assuming all of the Tigers’ commits follow through and ink with the Tigers as expected, Clemson would usually be done with its recruiting class even with February’s traditional signing period still to come. But with college sports’ governing body creating the transfer portal as a byproduct of the one-time transfer rule it recently introduced, an NCAA rule that normally caps each team’s class at 25 signees has been eliminated for at least the next two recruiting cycles.

Teams are still limited to 85 scholarships in a given season, but Clemson has already had nine players enter the portal since it opened on Dec. 5. The Tigers, who will play their final game of the season in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, are also awaiting decisions from more upperclassmen with additional eligibility as to whether they’re going to return for another season or move on from the program, making their scholarship count for next season a moving target at the moment.

More players could seek a transfer between now and mid-January when the portal window closes. All things considered, Swinney feels as good as he can about the numbers.

“Maybe the door is cracked a little bit,” Swinney said. “In our world now, every day in college football is a new day when it comes to roster management. Today, we’re in a really good spot. Tomorrow may be different. I don’t know. That’s just the reality of college football. But this is going to be a really special class on top of last year’s class.”

The headliners in this year’s crop are five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods and four-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina. Woods and Vizzina, a top-50 recruit who’s coming in just as former starter D.J. Uiagalelei is on his way out, are both expected to enroll early and go through spring practice.

Woods is one of six commits for Clemson along the defensive line, a position where attrition could hit the Tigers hard. Veteran defensive end K.J. Henry is off to the NFL after this season while fellow end Myles Murphy has announced his decision to do the same. Meanwhile, Clemson is awaiting decisions from Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis, Justin Mascoll and Ruke Orhorhoro, all of whom are either starters or members of the two-deep on the defensive front.

The Tigers are also losing star linebacker Trenton Simpson after three years in the program, but Clemson has commitments from a pair of four-star prospects at the position in Mill Creek (Georgia) High’s Jamal Anderson and Denmark (Georgia) High standout Dee Crayton. Clemson also added a running back to the class with a recent commitment from Dutch Fork High product Jarvis Green, who flipped his verbal pledge from James Madison earlier this month after receiving an offer from the Tigers.

Clemson’s latest commitment came late last week from North Oconee (Georgia) High defensive back Khalil Barnes, a three-star prospect.

“Really, really like the group that’s coming in here,” Swinney said. “I think we’ve addressed our needs.”

Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store.  Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. 

Dear Old Clemson is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.

Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”

Graham Neff:
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