CLEMSON – Over the last few months, there have been extensive discussions about Clemson’s new-look secondary that features several transfer portal players.

After the Tigers wrapped up their 7-6 season last year that resulted in multiple staff moves, including the firing of safeties coach Mickey Conn and promotion of Nolan Turner, defensive coordinator Tom Allen quickly pulled in veteran names to bolster the Tigers’ defensive back room.

Within a few weeks, the commitments from cornerbacks Elliott Washington II and Donovan Starr came in. Simultaneously, safeties Corey Myrick and Jerome Carter III also announced they would be joining the Tigers.

After Clemson finished 11th in ACC passing defense and 118th nationally last season, and with several players exiting the program via the NFL Draft or transfer portal, the revived secondary has received lots of attention this offseason.

What may have gone under the radar, however, is the Tigers’ freshman class of defensive backs.

This fall, along with the four new transfers, three freshman defensive backs will run down the hill and onto Frank Howard Field for the first time.

Among these players are safety Kentavion “Polo” Anderson, and corners Marcell Gipson Jr. and Shavar Young Jr.

Anderson, a four-star safety out of Dorman High School in Roebuck, S.C., was listed as the second-ranked prospect in South Carolina by ESPN. The 6-foot-2 back led Dorman to the high school semifinals in the state’s highest classification as a senior, and finished his career with 256 tackles, seven sacks and four interceptions.

He was a two-time all state honoree and remained loyal to Clemson even through Conn’s firing, enrolling this January. Anderson was the second-highest rated signee in the 2026 class and also was a sprinter on the Cavaliers’ track team.

“(Anderson’s) a true freshman that just got here a few months ago,” Allen said after a spring practice. “And he’s the guy we’re using as an example here [of] ‘that’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like.’ So, that’s buy in, and that’s a credit to him and his family and his high school coaches and how he was prepared. So, he definitely sticks out to me.”

In Clemson’s spring game, the rookie finished with six tackles for the White team, the second-most of any player on that squad.

Anderson was joined on that team by Gipson, who had five tackles for the White team. Gipson, a Dallas, Texas product, was a first-team all-state selection in 2024 as a defensive back and kick returner. That season, he finished with 56 tackles, four pass breakups and three interceptions.

Head coach Dabo Swinney called the 5-foot-10 athlete a “true corner who can run,” which is backed by his track background. In addition to being a sprinter, Gipson also competed in the long and triple jump events.

Though Young, the other corner in the class, did not appear in the spring game, Clemson fans may know him as one of the first commitments in the 2026 class. A Knoxville, Tenn., native, Young served as a two-way player for Webb School of Knoxville, rushing for 3,600 total yards across his junior and senior campaigns. 

As a corner, he recorded 12 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and three interceptions (one pick-six) in his final two high school seasons. With this success, Young was named a finalist for Mr. Football honors in Tennessee. He also won a basketball state championship.

While the defensive backs room this year may be crowded with talent, these players could help the Tigers in the years to come.

They, as well as the rest of Clemson’s team, will get their first shot on Sept. 5, when Clemson opens its season at LSU.