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Clemson Tigers Lose Key Defensive Tackle to Transfer Portal

A rising interior contributor hits the portal, forcing Clemson to confront mounting questions along its defensive front.
Angelo Feliberty|
A Clemson defensive tackle entered the transfer portal Friday, adding to growing turnover along the Tigers’ interior line.
A Clemson defensive tackle entered the transfer portal Friday, adding to growing turnover along the Tigers’ interior line. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Stephiylan Green entered the transfer portal just over an hour past the open date this Friday, as first reported by On3’s Pete Nakos.

Green becomes the eleventh player — and seventh defensive piece — to enter the transfer portal for the Tigers, looking to test if the grass is greener elsewhere after a down season.

Originally part of Clemson’s 2023 recruiting class, the 290-pound lineman entered Clemson alongside future trench stars such as Peter Woods and T.J. Parker.

Green was the fifth-highest recruit in his respective class, holding a four-star rating and ranked as the No. 187 prospect, the No. 27 defensive lineman and the No. 18 player from Georgia, according to 247Sports rankings.

What began as a shared entry point has since led to severely different outcomes. Woods and Parker have emerged as projected first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, whereas Green now looks to reset his career elsewhere with two seasons of eligibility left.

Unlike others, though, Green’s decision comes after a steady developmental arc at Clemson rather than a lack of opportunity.

As a true freshman in 2023, Green appeared in just two games, taking the opportunity to develop and redshirt, preserving an extra year of eligibility, which has surely come in handy now.

One year later, the 6-foot-4 lineman made clear strides, breaking into a strong interior rotation featuring DeMonte Capehart — who also recently declared for the NFL Draft — and Woods. Through 12 contests, Green piled up 16 tackles, 2.5 for a loss and one sack on his way to earning a Second-team Freshman All-American selection by The Athletic.

Coming off career-high snap totals in 2024, Green was expected to contribute heavily as a redshirt sophomore behind Capehart and Woods, expectations he met by delivering the strongest season of his career despite injury limitations. Through 10 games played, he racked up 18 tackles, 2.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks.

Green’s departure further reshapes Clemson’s interior line outlook, with three defensive tackles now set to exit the program. As mentioned before, Woods and Parker have already declared for the draft, while redshirt junior Caden Story recently entered the transfer portal, leaving the Tigers with clear needs up front.

Compounding the situation, Clemson is set to bring in just one defensive tackle recruit over the offseason in three-star signee Kameron Cody, further emphasizing the importance of portal additions in the next two weeks.

The Tigers will, however, look to get a larger on-field return from former five-star Amare Adams, who appeared in 10 games as a true freshman in 2025, flashing serious potential in limited action.

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

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Angelo Feliberty
ANGELO FELIBERTY

Angelo Feliberty is a Sports Communication major who got his start with The Tiger newspaper at Clemson University starting as a contributor and working his way up to senior reporter covering multiple sports for the Clemson Tigers. A native of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feliberty was a three-year letterman in track at Myrtle Beach High School.

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