Each year, 247Sports names the top 30 college football assistants under the age of 30, and this year, a Clemson staffer has made the list.

First-year safeties coach Nolan Turner landed on the list, which is comprised by “surveying dozens and dozens of contacts across the industry to find the best sub-age-30 coaches and staffers in college football.”

“Nobody was surprised in Clemson’s building when Dabo Swinney elevated Turner to safeties this offseason. Turner had spent the previous two seasons with the Tigers in a player development role and assistant safeties coach, joining the staff as soon as his NFL career ended. As assistant safeties coach in 2025, he helped Ricardo Jones earn All-ACC honors and total six interceptions, the second most in the FBS. Turner was an All-American safety as a player at Clemson, winning a pair of national titles during his time with the program from 2016-21. He’s long had an excellent grasp of scheme, is considered a strong teacher and viewed as a longtime FBS coach.” – 247 Sports’ Chris Hummer

The 28-year-old Turner was a standout safety for the Tigers from 2016-21. During his career, he was credited with 259 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 20 pass breakups, seven interceptions, 3.0 sacks and two forced fumbles over 65 career games, with 25 of those being starts.

During his career, he helped contribute to five ACC title squads, five College Football Playoff berths, three national title game appearances and two national championships during his playing career. In 2020, he was named a second-team All-American by two different publications.

Turner would sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an UDFA in 2022 and appeared in five games that season.

In 2024, Turner would return to Clemson full-time, joining Dabo Swinney’s support staff as a defensive player development and assistant safeties coach. After the departure of Mickey Conn following the 2025 campaign, Turner was promoted to safeties coach.