Clemson is wasting little time addressing one of its most pressing offseason needs.
According to On3, the Clemson Tigers are in the mix for former Kansas Jayhawks safety Lyrik Rawls as the program turns its attention to the transfer portal following a 7–6 finish.
The Tigers’ interest signals a potential shift in approach for a program that has traditionally relied on internal development rather than portal additions. Clemson’s loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl underscored the urgency, as defensive breakdowns and missed tackles plagued a secondary that struggled to consistently hold up in coverage.
Rawls, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound safety, started all 12 games for Kansas this season and emerged as one of the Jayhawks’ most reliable defenders. He ranked second on the team with 73 total tackles while adding an interception and seven pass breakups. His best performance came against then-No. 4 Texas Tech, when he posted 10 tackles and two pass breakups.
Kansas defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald praised Rawls’ football intelligence and versatility, traits that allowed him to line up all over the field.
“We see how highly intelligent he is as a football player,” McDonald said. “And a smarter player is a better football player.”
Rawls logged extensive snaps across multiple roles in 2025, including free safety, in-the-box safety and slot corner, highlighting the positional flexibility Clemson has often valued in its secondary.
A Texas native, Rawls spent four seasons at Oklahoma State Cowboys before transferring to Kansas. During his time at Oklahoma State, he appeared in 27 games with four starts, totaling 67 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble. He will have one year of eligibility remaining after redshirting as a freshman and missing most of the 2023 season due to injury.
Clemson’s need at safety has been amplified by roster turnover. Khalil Barnes has entered the transfer portal, while cornerback Aveion Terrell has declared for the NFL Draft, leaving the Tigers thin in a unit that already faced consistency issues.
Landing an experienced, multi-positional defender like Rawls would give Clemson immediate help — and signal a willingness to adapt in an evolving college football landscape.