CLEMSON – The Clemson Tigers are trusting the process with their large pass catchers. Tight end Jake Briningstool came into the year with high expectations, and we’ve seen a multitude of flashes from the 6-foot-6 target, but the room as a whole hasn’t really lived up to the expectations in Garrett Riley’s offense.

Good news is the group is extremely young. Briningstool is a junior, while almost all of the tight end room is freshmen and sophomores. Josh Sapp showed his capabilties against Charleston Southern with a 25-yard touchdown, but it’s still early for the rest of the Tigers’ tight ends.

Freshmen Olsen Patt-Henry and Markus Dixon are developmental pieces for Clemson, but they’ve both seen the field as Kyle Richardson continues to build them up for the future.

Who’s likely returning

Jake Briningstool (junior)

Josh Sapp (redshirt freshman)

Sage Ennis (graduate junior)

Olsen-Patt Henry (freshman)

Markus Dixon (freshman)

2024 recruiting class

Four-star Christian Bentancur (commit)

2025 recruiting class

Four-star Nate Roberts (offered)

Three-star Logan Brooking (offered)

Bentancur is a huge addition for the Tigers at tight end. Highly coveted by the likes of 36 other Division-I offers, Clemson won out for the four-star, 6-foot-5 Illinois native. With no other pledges at tight end in 2024, it makes sure Richardson has a piece to build on, and potentially contribute early for the Tigers.

2025 is a work in progress at tight end, but things opened back up with four-star Nate Roberts decommitting from Notre Dame. Clemson offered him June 1 when he visited the Tigers for the Dabo Swinney Camp. Logan Brooking is another option, and he received an offer two weeks after Roberts.

For a team that has a lot of fifth-year players with COVID years, tight end is one of the youngest positions for Clemson. Given the current depth and the recruits the Tigers have and can land, the future is bright to lean into that big-target passing game.