Clemson defensive lineman Caden Story has withdrawn his name from the NCAA transfer portal, reversing course after briefly testing the market earlier this month.
Story appeared in five games during the 2025 season, finishing with seven tackles and a half-sack. Over four seasons with the Clemson Tigers, the former four-star prospect has played 190 snaps across 24 career games, totaling 10 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and half a sack.
His late-season surge came on a postseason stage. Story saw extended playing time in the Pinstripe Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions, recording four tackles and a half-sack — the most productive outing of his collegiate career.
A highly regarded recruit out of Lanett, Alabama, Story arrived at Clemson as one of the state’s most decorated defensive line prospects. While he has yet to secure a consistent role in the Tigers’ rotation, his decision to withdraw from the portal provides Clemson with added depth at a position undergoing constant evaluation in the transfer era.
As roster turnover accelerates nationwide, retaining developmental linemen has become increasingly valuable. Story now returns to a defensive front where opportunity and competition will define the offseason.