Longtime Clemson Linebacker Expected To Transfer, Per Report

The Clemson Tigers see another key piece of their defense opt to transfer out when the portal opens

Clemson is expected to lose a longtime member of the defense | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

After spending the past three seasons as a key piece in the Clemson Tigers’ linebacker rotation, another Tiger is expected to enter the transfer portal.

First reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Clemson linebacker Jamal Anderson has reportedly announced that he will be transferring.

BREAKING: Clemson LB Jamal Anderson plans to enter the @TransferPortal, his agency tells @On3Sports

The former four-star recruit totaled 16 tackles and 1 sack in his time with the Tigers

Repped by @ShawnODare of @rosenhaussports https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/WF29J24Zgw

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 11, 2025

Over the course of three seasons, Anderson Jr. has appeared in 31 games and started two, totaling 16 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, a blocked punt and a sack.

The Buford, Georgia native saw immediate playing time upon arriving at Clemson, serving as a key fixture on special teams. That season, he was one of just six true freshmen on the team to appear in all 13 games while totaling six tackles.

This year, he appeared in the first four games of the season, but has not seen action since Clemson’s 34-21 loss to Syracuse. Before opting for a mid-year redshirt, Anderson Jr. had already set single-season career-highs in solo tackles and tackles-for-loss. His best game of the season came during Clemson’s win against Troy, when he finished with three tackles.

Anderson Jr. was a consensus four-star prospect who ESPN ranked as the eighth-best prospect in the state of Georgia and the 12th-best linebacker in the country. 

Besides Clemson, he was also heavily recruited by the University of Florida, Penn State and Miami. 

Upon arriving at Clemson, Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney praised Anderson Jr.’s athleticism and fluidity.

"This kid is just a big-time athlete. This dude is smooth. He can run, change direction,” Swinney said. “I think he can do a lot of things. He's got really good growth potential."

His father, Jamal Anderson Sr., was a star running back for the Atlanta Falcons in the 1990s, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 1998 after rushing for 1,846 yards and leading Atlanta to Super Bowl XXXIII. That season, he finished third in NFL MVP voting. 

Anderson Jr. is the fifth Clemson player to enter the transfer portal since the season has started, joining Khalil Barnes, Keith Adams Jr., Shelton Lewis and Dee Crayton. While Lewis entered the portal earlier in the season, Barnes, Adams Jr. and Crayton have all made their announcements within the past week. 

Outside of the transfer portal announcements, T.J. Parker, Peter Woods and Antonio Williams Jr. have all declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

On Saturday, Dec. 27, the Tigers will face the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.