CLEMSON — Clemson’s secondary experienced more than its fair share of struggles last season.

The breakdowns on the backend weren’t limited to one position. It was a collective effort.

Due to those issues on the backend, the coaching staff brought in some shiny new toys at safety from the transfer portal to beef things up, as Corey Myrick and Jerome Carter were both signed. Khalil Barnes and Ricardo Jones, two players who saw a lot of time at safety in 2025, exited via the portal.

However, there is one holdover that might be getting overlooked. While Myrick and Carter have been on the receiving end of a lot of the offseason hype, Ronan Hanafin is still around. Entering his fourth season in the program, he’s now one of the more seasoned veterans in that room.

Before the start of fall camp on Thursday, head coach Dabo Swinney stressed that there are no starters on his team yet. Those spots will be earned by what happens in camp. While some on the outside may have already penciled in the two transfers as starters, Hanafin is also a candidate, and with him already having a season in Tom Allen’s system under his belt, that gives him a bit of a leg up on the newer additions.

“So much is just muscle memory at this point, Hanafin said. “Obviously, last year we had a tough year, and we need to step up in a lot of areas. But just this being the second year and having two whole offseasons to learn his scheme, learn all the checks and learn all the different formations. Whether it is we are getting in one thing and checking another thing off of motion. It is just different things like that that have really helped a lot.”

While being one of the old men of the room has been an adjustment, it’s one Hanafin is quickly growing comfortable with.

“It is weird,” Hanafin said. “I feel like I am a year older than everyone else already, just being my age. Not saying I am crazy old or anything, but it is cool to see all of those guys grow up and go throughout their journey. Just being able to step into that leadership position is encouraging, and that is where we are at right now. You cycle out leaders, and new leaders need to step up.”

Hanafin was third on the team last season with 72 tackles. He also added one tackle for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one interception. The former wideout is now looking to build on some of that success. Not just on the field, but off of it, as well.

Hanafin knows being one of the veterans also means stepping into one of the leadership roles, and that part has probably been one of the biggest adjustments.

“I think I am very authoritative,” Hanafin said. “I try to be more action-based. I am working with the communication part of that. I have always been kind of a quieter one, but obviously in this role, you have to speak up, and you have to say what needs to be said. I am not afraid to say anything, whether it is good, bad or ugly. If it needs to be fixed, it is going to be fixed. Players leading players is where we are at right now, and we have taken a huge step in that. Even from last year and the spring to now.”