The State of Clemson's Linebacker Room Following Luke Ferrelli's Expected Departure

The Clemson Tigers had a lot of departures through the transfer portal this season, but one more could see a lot of new faces in a position.

There were reports last weekend regarding Cal transfer Luke Ferrelli, who committed to Clemson at the beginning of the transfer portal period to add another starter alongside Sammy Brown. However, speculation began to swirl about a late flip from Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels.

Clemson Tigers on SI, as well as other sources, can now confirm that Ferrelli is expected to fully flip to Ole Miss, with his transfer portal request expected to be announced either Tuesday or Wednesday.

While legal things are expected to occur, head coach Dabo Swinney has already lost multiple players at the linebacker position, meaning that the room will be slim going into the 2026 season, unless Clemson snags a late pickup or flip at linebacker.

The program lost Wade Woodaz to the NFL Draft, due to being out of eligibility. Dee Crayton and Jamal Anderson have gone into the transfer portal, joining UNLV and SMU, respectively.

This begs the question: who will play alongside Sammy Brown on defense?

A few candidates arise from the given roster. Behind Brown and Woodaz, the player with the most snaps at the position was Kobe McCloud, who played 233 snaps over the course of the 2025 season, according to Pro Football Focus. The redshirt junior finished with 26 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack last year.

His defensive grade was actually the best in the room, being a 73.0. He had one of the best coverage grades (71.2) in the room, only behind Woodaz (73.8). Most of his snaps were split between defending the run and being in coverage.

Alabama transfer Jeremiah Alexander played in 219 snaps last season for the Tigers, being another candidate to take the role. Alexander thrives more rushing the passer, having the highest grade in the room last season in pass rush (67.6). Alexander’s snaps were more on running plays and pass rush than McCloud, so the two differ in playstyle.

Alexander also entered college as an edge rusher more than a linebacker, meaning he could also see snaps on the line as well, if needed.

Those two were the only ones who played more than 100 snaps that remain within the program. However, there are young players that could make strides going into next season, especially with a thinner room.

One of those is former walk-on, Fletcher Cothran. The rising redshirt senior played extensively in Clemson’s Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State, finishing with five tackles, a tackle for loss and half a sack. He had 17 total snaps in the loss. He will see higher numbers of snaps going into next season, most likely.

The rising redshirt sophomore duo of Drew Woodaz and C.J. Kubah-Taylor is also important to note. Both were former three-star recruits in the Class of 2023, according to 247Sports. Neither has played much, but they bring talent and depth to a room that needs it.

Clemson’s only recruit from the Class of 2026 at the position was Brayden Reilly. He was a late riser, earning his fourth star during his senior year before flipping from Northwestern to Clemson. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen was a key factor in getting the recruit, meaning he could see snaps as well if he breaks through in fall camp.

It is important to note that Reilly will be entering the program in the summer, meaning he could be behind compared to other freshmen who enroll in January. Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if he makes waves down the stretch next season.

Ferrelli’s departure instills more competition within the group, which has already begun winter practices. Whether it's McCloud, Alexander or another player that has a notable rise, a lot of expectation will be set during Clemson’s Week 1 game against LSU to begin the 2026 season.