CLEMSON – Earlier this year, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he believes a lot of his current players will return next season. And though Swinney might believe that to be true, whether they return or not will not be up to Swinney.

There are several Tigers that will obviously make transfer portal decisions in the coming weeks, while others will decide whether to turn professional or not. Who are the players you should watch in the coming weeks when it comes to turning professional?

On the offensive side, let’s start on the offensive line.

–Left tackle Tristan Leigh is a redshirt junior. He will have the opportunity to turn professional, but I doubt he will do it. Though he has improved greatly as a tackle, Leigh did miss a couple of games this year and that could hurt his chances in the draft. I expect he will be back next year to help improve his stock, but in these situations, you never know what a young man is thinking. Sometimes it comes down to whether they like going to class or not.

–Center Ryan Linthicum is also a redshirt junior, but this is his first year as a starter, so I don’t think he will test the waters and should be back for his senior season.

–Right guard Walker Parks received an extra year due to last year’s injury, so he will be returning, and he has already told the coaches and the media he is coming back for one more season.

–Right Tackle Blake Miller is one to watch without a doubt. He is a three-year starter and has played a lot of football at a high level. Can he improve? Yes. He definitely will have a decision to make once the season is completed.

–Quarterback Cade Klubnik is a junior and could turn professional if he wants. However, he isn’t likely to do it. We think he is definitely a guy that is coming back for his senior season and that is good news for Clemson.

–Wide receiver Antonio Williams is listed as a redshirt sophomore, so he will be eligible to turn professional this year. It would not surprise us to see Williams turn pro. This was a bigger year for him, and he wanted to show what he could do to the pro scouts. The question is did he do enough? He probably has the biggest decision of any draft eligible players this season.

There are a couple of players on the defensive side that have a decision to make.

–Defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart has another year of eligibility, though he is listed as senior. Early in the year, when he was healthy and playing every day, Capehart was a shoo-in to turn pro. After missing several games that could have changed. I think he is likely to move on and is definitely one to pay attention to, but you never know.

–Defensive tackle Tre Williams is in the same situation as Capehart. He is listed as a senior, but he is eligible to come back and play next season. He is likely to return considering he has been hampered by injuries the last several years.

–Linebacker Wade Woodaz is a true junior and has the option to turn professional, though I do not think that will happen. This was Woodaz first year as a regular starter. Though he has had a good season, returning will be a better option to show what he can do in year two as a starter.

–Cornerback Jeadyn Lukus is a true junior and is draft eligible after the season. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Lukus has the measurables to play in the NFL. He is also one of Clemson’s better tacklers on the team. But has he done enough? Lukus has missed some time this year with an injury and has played hurt. He missed a lot of the last year banged up, as well. Durability will be an issue and could be a reason why he might return, if he does decide to return. Also, keep in mind he has seen his playing time cut in half based on the emergence of freshman Ashton Hampton. That might play a factor in his decision, too.