CBS Sports took a look across the country and highlighted some of college football’s “most impactful” re-signings of 2026 – or, in other words, “major retention moves” made by various programs with top talent amidst all the player movement in this year’s transfer portal cycle.
For Clemson, CBS Sports listed star rising junior wide receiver T.J. Moore as the Tigers’ biggest key returner.
Fellow standout Clemson rising junior wideout Bryant Wesco Jr. also drew a mention.
“One of two standout pass-catchers the Tigers could’ve lost this offseason, Moore waited to see Clemson’s plan at quarterback and the program’s OC hire of Chad Morris before announcing his return on Jan. 6,” CBS Sports wrote.
“Moore finished with 52 catches for 837 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore before making a couple of social media posts insinuating that he was flirting with leaving. Only returning wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. found the end zone more times (6) than Moore last season. He re-signed with Clemson a few days after Moore and is returning from a back injury that shortened his sophomore season.”
Moore will enter the 2026 season having amassed 97 receptions for 1,488 yards and nine touchdowns over 27 games (22 starts) across his first two seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder joined Justyn Ross, Artavis Scott and Sammy Watkins as the only players in Clemson history to record at least 650 receiving yards in each of their freshman and sophomore seasons.
As a sophomore in 2025, Moore led the Tigers with his 837 receiving yards while starting all 13 games. He earned third-team All-ACC honors from Phil Steele.
As a true freshman, Moore was half of Clemson’s freshman wide receiver duo alongside Wesco that made the Tigers the first power conference team since at least 2000 to have multiple freshmen reach 650-plus receiving yards and five or more touchdown catches in a single season. Moore caught 45 passes for 651 yards and five touchdowns over 14 games (nine starts) in his debut season.
Other players listed by CBS Sports among college football’s most impactful re-signings – who Clemson is scheduled to face during the 2026 regular season — include Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr.; Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele; Florida State defensive linemen Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir; and South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, edge rusher Dylan Stewart and wide receiver Nyck Harbor.
This season, Clemson will host Miami (Oct. 3) and South Carolina (Nov. 28), while the Tigers will travel to Cal (Sept. 25) and Florida State (Oct. 31).
