Clemson Tigers Star Wide Receiver Finalizes Deal to Return in 2026

Clemson landed a massive offseason win by locking in one of its most important offensive weapons for 2026.

Clemson secures a major offseason boost as one of its top playmakers confirms his return for the 2026 season. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

As the Clemson Tigers continue their aggressive approach in the transfer portal this offseason, standout wide receiver T.J. Moore became the latest Tiger to clarify his plans for next season amid a highly active portal cycle.

On Monday afternoon, CBS Sports' Matt Zenits reported that Moore and Clemson agreed to a deal for his return for the 2026 season, securing a key piece of the Tigers' wide receiver corps following the draft declaration of Antonio Williams, and the possible exit of Tristan Smith if he isn't able to get a fifth-year from the NCAA.

Clemson star wide receiver T.J. Moore has agreed to a new deal with the Tigers and will be remaining at Clemson, sources tell me and @chris_hummer.

The Class of 2024 five-star recruit posted 52 catches, 837 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore this season. pic.twitter.com/vniUClCGVb

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 5, 2026

Moore's return comes after two seasons with the program, during which he joined Clemson ahead of the 2024 campaign as the second-highest-ranked recruit in his respective class, ranking just between star linebacker Sammy Brown and star wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr.

The elite pass-catcher was rated as a five-star prospect and ranked as the No. 21 player overall, the No. 4 wide receiver and the No. 6 player in Florida, according to 247Sports rankings.

Ahead of the 2024 season, Moore was listed as an immediate starter on the Clemson Tigers depth chart, lining up alongside Williams and Wesco. The true freshman impressed across 14 starts, recording 45 receptions for 651 yards and five touchdowns, highlighted by a season-high 116 yards and a touchdown against Texas in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

During the offseason, Moore made a significant step in his development, growing both physically and mentally while continuing to utilize his natural talent.

"You can tell that it's slowing down for him, and now you're starting to see his natural gifts," head coach Dabo Swinney said in August. "He does things naturally. But, being able to do it full speed because you're really confident in what you're doing — accentuates his ability… I'm really proud of what he's done in a short amount of time."

In 2025, the true sophomore put up career highs across the board despite a slow start to the season. Moore totaled just seven receptions for 71 yards over the first three games, but he found his stride as the year progressed, finishing the year with 52 catches for 837 yards and four touchdowns. His breakout performance came against SMU, where he posted five catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns. 

Notably, that game also marked the lone start at quarterback for potential 2026 starter Christopher Vizzina, who filled in for an injured Cade Klubnik — so make sure to keep an eye on that connection moving forward.

This news also comes as a huge relief for Clemson fans, following Moore's brief yet cryptic post on X last Friday. The tweet quickly gained traction, amassing nearly 400,000 views in just three days, with the replies flooded by support and encouragement urging the star receiver to return for next season.

🤔

— 𝙏𝙅 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙚 (@tjmoore305) January 2, 2026

As it stands, Clemson's wide receiver room is stacked with talent, led by the dynamic duo of Moore and Wesco and backed by promising young pieces like former Freshman All-American Tyler Brown and true freshman Juju Preston.

On top of that, wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham delivered an outstanding 2026 recruiting class, landing a top-five receiver in Naeem Burroughs, along with four-stars Connor Salmin and Gordon Sellars.