Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney really liked what he saw from this defensive back in Saturday’s season opener.

During his weekly Zoom call on Sunday evening, Swinney called safety Ronan Hanafin’s performance a “real bright spot” for Clemson.

Hanafin got the start at safety and was credited with a team-high 12 total tackles for No. 4 Clemson in its 17-10 loss to ninth-ranked LSU. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound junior also posted one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and a forced fumble.

“I thought Ronan was a real bright spot for us,” Swinney said. “He’s fast and physical. He plays violent. He knocks the ball loose. He does that a lot.”

Hanafin did just that at the end of the second quarter, when he forced a fumble by LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. on fourth-and-2 at the Clemson 12-yard line with just 15 seconds left in the half to preserve a seven-point lead for Clemson going into halftime.

Swinney believes Saturday’s top-10 matchup was “a big-time game” for Hanafin to grow his confidence.

“That is a top-10 opponent, and for him to come out of a game like that really confident, that’s going to really bode well as he moves forward,” Swinney said. “Because he’s just going to grow. He just needs to stack games and just keep gaining experience. He’s just going to get better and better. So, I was pleased with him.”

Hanafin, a former wide receiver, transitioned to defensive back in August 2024.

A former four-star prospect per multiple recruiting services, Hanafin contributed in a variety of ways at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Massachusetts, beginning his prep career at cornerback but playing receiver and linebacker/safety for most of his career along with returning punts.

As a true freshman for the Tigers in 2023, Hanafin played 41 offensive snaps over 11 games. Then in 2024, he finished the year with 13 tackles and a pass breakup in 89 defensive snaps across 14 games. Hanafin has also played on the kick coverage team the last two seasons and has been one of the Tigers’ top tacklers on special teams.