Lockdown in Tigertown: Clemson safeties among PFF's best transfer grabs

For years, the transfer portal was the “forbidden fruit” of the Clemson football program. But in 2026, Dabo Swinney isn’t only sampling the market — he appears to be pushing it back at the highest end of the secondary talent hierarchy.

The Tigers recently signed two of the highest-graded transfer safeties in the country, according to new data from Pro Football Focus. A star of the pack is Southern Miss standout Corey Myrick, with an 87.3 overall grade which left the nation runner-up by an impressively big six-point margin. Adjacent to him in the elite ranks is Old Dominion veteran Jerome Carter III, who placed seventh in the nation with a 76.3.

The numbers indicate that, while perceived as “conservative,” Clemson’s No. 31-ranked transfer class is best-in-class with fast, high-impact starters.

Myrick comes to the Upstate as a go-to starter solution for Khalil Barnes and Ricardo Jones’ departures. The free safety features a unique combination of length and “eraser” speed that made him a statistical legend in 2025. Myrick caught 92 tackles and two interceptions last season, but the most meaningful numbers were during the passing contest. With 384 coverage snaps he surrendered a pathetic 109 yards and a 53.7 passer rating. His 86.2 coverage grade indicates he is no mere tackler — he’s an essential deterrent in a secondary that desperately needs one.

Where Myrick gives an indication of coverage floor, Jerome Carter III provides ceiling for defensive coordinator Tom Allen. A second-team All-Sun Belt selection at Old Dominion, Carter takes the team as a true “ball magnet.” Carter’s 2025 campaign included an absurd six interceptions, putting him in the second-most in the FBS. Ironically, one of the players he tied with was the man he is effectively replacing, Ricardo Jones. Swinney has successfully kept that big “hawk” high in the deep middle without losing a beat in his move by replacing Jones with Carter.

Myrick and Carter was a big step forward for a program that used to make no secret of its all-internal development. Now, with 10 total newcomers flooding the portal on this cycle, the "all-in" mantra has evolved to encompass a proven veteran production with the mid-major ranks as well. Clemson and Cincinnati are the only two programs in the nation to hit multiple safeties in the top-ten spots on PFF’s Top 10 list.

The addition of Myrick and Carter isn’t just about a depth upgrade for a Tigers defense that was flat-footed and a lack of explosive defense during their 7-6 season last fall, but a total restoration of the back end as well.