Florida State Transfer Reveals Plans to Visit Clemson Tigers

In an important position need for the Clemson Tigers, they have planned a visit with an upcoming transfer from an ACC foe.

Clemson defensive tackles coach Nick Eason is hoping to get an experienced transfer to add to the interior of the line. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At a dire position in need for head coach, Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers, they will be in the running for a player who transferred from another ACC team.

Florida State defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins entered the transfer portal on Dec. 18, and with the transfer portal window now open, he plans to visit Clemson, according to CBS Sports analyst Matt Zenitz. Jenkins is an experienced lineman that would have one year of eligibility remaining.

Florida State defensive line transfer Jayson Jenkins plans to visit Clemson, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Georgia Tech, his agency @APSportsAgency tells me, @chris_hummer and @CodyNagel247.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pounder made five starts for FSU this season. https://t.co/fnNMCaMXj5 pic.twitter.com/MQ5n72F7p0

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 2, 2026

No official date has been set for Jenkins' visit, yet, though that should be scheduled soon.

Jenkins leaves Florida State after only one season, playing in nine games and making five starts for the Seminoles in 2025. He finished the year with one sack and 17 total tackles.

The 6-foot-6, 276-pound lineman fills an important need for Swinney's roster, who has seen two defensive linemen, Stephiylan Green and Caden Story, hit the portal for a new opportunity. With already the losses of Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Tigers are slim at the position, looking to refill the trenches for next season.

Jenkins would be a veteran on a defensive line that is on the younger side. True freshman and former five-star Amare Adams and redshirt sophomore Vic Burley are now the players that lead the room, with redshirt freshmen Hevin Brown-Shuler and Champ Thompson all potentially seeing a higher role next season. Adding a fifth-year player would provide defensive tackles' coach, Nick Eason, with more experience to work with on the line.

The Bordentown, New Jersey, native spent his first three seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers, playing from the 2022-24 seasons. In Tennessee, the redshirt junior recorded 4.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble in 20 career games under head coach Josh Heupel. He would use his redshirt in 2022, giving him the extra year of eligibility that he has.

Coming out of high school, Jenkins was a three-star recruit, being the No. 183 defensive lineman from the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. He chose the Volunteers over Boston College, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

With so many departures on the defensive line, it's also important to note that Jenkins might not be the only transfer that Swinney will be bringing in for next season. While he is not one to use the portal often, it could be an exception this year with a lot of change.

Clemson Tigers on SI will be tracking Jenkins with our transfer portal tracker, which has seen 12 players leave the program, as of the morning of Jan. 2.