Head coach Brad Brownell believes Clemson’s staff did a great job going into the transfer portal and getting big men first.

That’s exactly what the Tigers did this offseason, landing a quartet of frontcourt players via the portal – forward/center Nick Davidson and forwards RJ Godfrey, Carter Welling and Jake Wahlin.

With the Tigers losing both Viktor Lakhin and Ian Schieffelin to graduation, as well as Chauncey Wiggins and Christian Reeves to the portal, Brownell needed to add some size back to his roster, as well as replace that lost production.

“There’s just not as many of those (big) guys, and it’s very competitive to recruit guys who are good players like the guys we got. You’ve got to be on it aggressively early,” Brownell said in an exclusive interview with The Clemson Insider at the ACC Spring Meetings on Amelia Island.

Davidson, the former Nevada star, averaged 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season as a junior. He also shot 37 percent from the 3-point line and 50 percent from the field. The 6-foot-10 talent was rated as the No. 12 overall prospect in the portal this offseason, and he was the top center available.

As a sophomore, Davidson scored 12.2 points while pulling down 7.3 rebounds per contest. He shot 55 percent from the field.

“Nick Davidson is a very skilled guy,” Brownell said. “I think he can play both post positions. He shoots it well, passes it. He’s an experienced guy who was very successful in the Mountain West. Obviously fits our system really well.”

Godfrey is a name Clemson fans are very familiar with. He’s returning to play his final season with the Tigers after spending his first two seasons at Clemson before entering the portal and spending a year at Georgia last season.

The 6-foot-8, 230-pounder averaged 19.5 minutes a game with the Bulldogs, scoring 6.4 points and grabbing 3.8 rebounds per contest. Godfrey was also considered one of the best defenders on the team.

During his most recent season with the Tigers as a sophomore, Godfrey averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor. He also played a key role coming off the bench in Clemson’s run to the Elite Eight two seasons ago.

“It’s terrific to have RJ back,” Brownell said. “Just love his personality, what he’s all about as a person. Really good competitor. Very good frontcourt athlete. I thought he really improved his skillset his second year with us, and I’m anxious to get him back in the lab there a little bit, in the gym, and do a little more work with him to see what we can do. But he’ll bring unbelievable energy and enthusiasm to our team.”

Welling comes to Clemson after playing his freshman season (2023-24) at UC Irvine and then playing and starting 32 games for Utah Valley in 2024-25.

As a sophomore, the 6-foot-10, 225-pounder averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. He was an All-WAC second team selection.

After earning WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, Welling also gives Brownell the defensive tenacity he tends to covet.

“Carter Welling’s a big, long athlete,” Brownell said. “Was a defensive player of the year in his league. I think he’s a guy who has tremendous upside and potential. Kind of an improving offensive player in terms of shooting and dribbling and scoring. I love his athleticism, and feel like he has potential to be a really good player for us.”

As for Wahlin, he joins the Tigers after playing his first two seasons at Utah.

As a sophomore, the 6-foot-10, 212-pounder started 23 games for the Utes, averaging 6.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. He shot 46.7 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from 3.

“Jake Wahlin is kind of a big wing,” Brownell said. “Long, athletic. Thought he was getting better and better last year. When you watch his games at Utah, just getting more confident. A guy who has a really good feel for cutting off the ball, and rebounds well. I think he can defend a bunch of different positions. I really like his game, and excited to see how he can grow and we can help him with his shooting a little bit, to be a little more consistent. But has good playmaking skills. So, terrific to have a guy with that kind of size at the wing.”