Clemson Lands in Top Five for Elite USC Transfer Defensive Lineman

Clemson has quickly positioned itself as a serious contender in the transfer portal, earning a top-five spot from one of the nation’s premier defensive line prospects.

A top-three defensive lineman transfer lists Clemson among his top five destinations as the Tigers attack the portal early. | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers and defensive coordinator Tom Allen received encouraging news on the transfer trail Friday afternoon, as USC transfer Devan Thompkins included the Tigers in his top five destinations, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

He is rated as a four-star transfer prospect and ranks as the No. 27 overall player and the No. 2 defensive lineman, according to On3’s rankings.

NEWS: USC transfer DL Devan Thompkins tells @On3Sports these 5 Schools are standing out to him as transfer destinations⁰⁰He’s ranked as the No. 2 DL in the On3 Portal Rankings

Thompkins is currently in the process of locking in a visit to Alabamahttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/xGJTZfSVob

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 2, 2026

Clemson wasted little time after the portal opened, reaching out to three defensive tackles on Day 1: Florida State transfer Jayson Jenkins, West Georgia transfer Kourtney Kelly, and now one of the top available options in Thompkins.

As of now, Thompkins has no official visits scheduled, but is looking to set one with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the near future.

The Tigers’ aggressive early push in the portal is particularly significant given the major turnover along the interior defensive line, with Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart departing for the 2026 NFL Draft and Stephiylan Green and Caden Story entering the transfer portal.

While Thompkins may have four other powerhouse programs listed, that’s simply the name of the game now. Regardless, it’s a great sign to see the Tigers in the mix and adjusting to the new landscape of College Football

Who is Devan Thompkins?

Coming out of the 2022 class, Thompkins was nowhere near as highly-touted as he is now in the transfer portal, receiving a three-star rating and ranking as the No. 45 edge rusher nationally and the No. 63 player in California, according to 247Sports rankings.

 He received 13 total offers, with most being from programs out west, but ultimately decided to commit to the USC Trojans.

Thompkins saw minimal playing time as a true freshman, appearing in just one game against Colorado, which allowed him to preserve a redshirt season.

Unfortunately, the story was very similar in the following season for Thompkins and the Trojans, as he saw the field only twice against Nevada and Stanford, recording the first tackle of his career against the Cardinals.

Entering his redshirt sophomore year, the 285-pound lineman was poised for a breakout season, and he delivered. In 2024, Thompkins appeared in all 13 games, starting six, while logging 24 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks and three pass deflections

This past season, he took another step forward on the field, starting all 12 games and boosting his production across the board. Thompkins totaled 31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble, including a two-sack performance against Michigan.

Clemson Tigers on SI will continue to provide coverage of every player in the transfer portal through our portal tracker.