Making Sense of Latest Reporting Regarding Potential Clemson Flip Luke Ferrelli

As the last day to enter the transfer portal was Friday, only time will tell to see if Ferrelli makes a late move to go elsewhere next season.

The Clemson Tigers thought that they secured Cal linebacker Luke Ferrelli, but a potential late push could see him flip. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Worry is coming up for the Clemson Tigers for one of their transfer pieces, who is rumored to be a late flip during this offseason. 

Cal linebacker Luke Ferrelli locked in his commitment to the Tigers last week. Now, there is speculation that he will be flipping to Ole Miss, sources say. Ferrelli took Clemson out of his Instagram bio last night as well, potentially hinting at a different trajectory for next season. 

LB Luke Ferrelli, who transferred to Clemson last week, has taken the “Clemson FB” out of his bio.

A complicated situation is emerging. pic.twitter.com/aHpw7KgNiA

— Grayson Mann (@gray_mann21) January 17, 2026

Earlier in the week, On3’s OM Spirit had reported that the Rebels had been talking with the rising sophomore, with Clemson doing all that it could to keep him around. He was enrolled in the University as well, being on the student directory for the semester. Ferrelli was even attending team activities, with the beginning of spring camp beginning this week, according to Tiger Illustrated.

However, things tend to change with this era of college athletics, and perhaps the domino effect of a few Ole Miss players led to Ferrelli being poached from Clemson. One of those players, by coincidence, was former Tiger TJ Dottery, who is expected to move to LSU to be back with his former head coach, Lane Kiffin. Now, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding is looking for his reinforcement.

Perhaps that domino effect adds a little more fire underneath head coach Dabo Swinney, if this flip is confirmed to be true. Clemson and LSU meet in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Sept. 5 to open up the 2026 season. 

There hasn’t been confirmation that Ferrelli has entered the transfer portal yet, either. Friday was the last day for players to enter the transfer portal. However, the midnight deadline was for players to notify their school in doing so. It could take several days for other paperwork options to occur before an official announcement is made. 

For Clemson, if the program does lose Ferrelli, it’s a big loss. The San Diego native would be one of the best transfers in this cycle for the Tigers. Most likely being a starter alongside standout linebacker Sammy Brown, the flip could perhaps leave Swinney without a starting linebacker that he thought he had. 

Ferrelli is the reigning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, coming off of a season where he had 91 total tackles, a sack and an interception for the Golden Bears last season. He is the No. 39-ranked linebacker in the portal cycle, according to On3.

It’s an ongoing situation currently, but with the final day to notify schools of transfer, more will come while the weekend progresses regarding Ferrelli’s potential flip. However, both the removal of “Clemson FB” and a late surge from Ole Miss may not be difficult to say where his head is at.

Clemson Tigers on SI will remain updated with the situation and continue to provide details, when possible. To see all of the Tigers’ acquisitions and departures thus far, check out our transfer portal tracker.