In the modern era of college football, rosters are churned like never before. The advent of the transfer portal has made it commonplace for programs to see massive turnover from season to season.
That means that teams able to retain the majority of their key contributors are ahead of the curve. Fortunately, that's the case for the Clemson Tigers in 2025.
In a recent post on X, Max Olson of ESPN lists the power conference teams that lost the fewest number of players to the portal this offseason. Clemson checks in at No. 2 in the nation (tied with Northwestern). The Tigers have lost only five players from the 2024 team. Additionally, Olson points out that Clemson has lost the third-fewest transfers in the last two seasons (17).
Among the Power 4, fewest scholarship players lost to the transfer portal this offseason:
— Max Olson (@max_olson) February 7, 2025
1. SMU - 4
2. Clemson, Northwestern - 5
4. Duke - 6
5. Kansas - 7
Fewest transfers lost over the last 2 years:
1. Kansas - 15
2. Northwestern - 16
3. Clemson - 17
4. BYU, Iowa - 18
What is even more encouraging for Clemson football fans is that none of the portal departures this offseason were expected to play a huge role for the Tigers in 2025.
For instance, wide receiver Jackson Crosby transferred to East Tennessee State. In four years with the program, he appeared in only nine games making two catches for a total of 25 yards.
Edge rusher A.J. Hoffler has made his way to Georgia Tech. In two seasons at Clemson, he appeared in 21 games making only 17 tackles.
Receiver Troy Stellato, who has transferred to Kentucky, put up decent numbers catching 65 passes for 600 yards and two TDs in three seasons as a Tiger. However, given the talent the Tigers have ahead of him at receiver, his contributions next season would have been minimal.
Though the Clemson defensive line could use an upgrade, the loss of Tre Williams (who has committed to Michigan) won't hurt in 2025. In 44 career games at Clemson, he made only 42 tackles.
Finally, wide receiver Noble Johnson has found a new home at Arizona State. In two seasons with the Tigers, he caught only three passes for 16 yards.
The point is that Clemson retained all of the key contributors that it could from the 2024 team that won the ACC and qualified for the College Football Playoff. Though the program will have to replace some important seniors who have graduated, the Tigers should have as much returning production as any team in the ACC this fall.
That will be a huge boost come September. And it could help set the Tigers up to make a ton of noise in the College Football Playoff next season.