Three Clemson Tigers That Need To See More Snaps Following Bye Week

The Clemson Tigers are in dire need of change, wherever that may be, and one of the first changes that fans will see will be position shuffles.

Head coach Dabo Swinney isn’t expected to let go of anybody on his staff during the season, but Clemson will see personnel changes to see how things gel, potentially seeing new looks against North Carolina next Saturday.

From players who have smaller roles to those who have had standout plays, here are three players who need to see the field more for the Clemson Tigers.

1. Tristan Smith

Smith has seen limited snaps in 2025, but has continued to emerge with plays as the season goes on. Being a rare acquisition through the transfer portal for head coach Dabo Swinney, the senior had a standout season at Southeast Missouri State.

Most recently, in the team’s loss to Syracuse, Smith saw 15 snaps on offense and caught two receptions for 26 yards. One of his catches included multiple missed tackles to churn out extra yards, providing the flash that the Clemson offense needed in that game.

The Tigers have gone from 36.4 points per game to 27.3 from 2024 to 2025. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley is looking for answers to his offense, and he may look no further to his 6-foot-5 transfer for help.

2. Christian Bentancur

Another promising target has been the redshirt freshman Bentancur, who has found opportunity for yards after the catch for the Tigers. The tight end has caught four receptions for 38 yards over the course of four games.

Bentancur has been apparent on the field, playing 17 snaps in the loss to Syracuse and showing promise again in the loss.

The tight end had a 20-yard catch-and-run in the team’s loss to LSU in the opening week, coming at an important time. Clemson was on its final drive of the contest, looking to punch in a score to tie the game. If quarterback Cade Klubnik needs an option, he has a young player who's been able to come through in important times already.

3. Jahiem Lawson

Consistency has been the key for Lawson, and he’s been able to make big plays throughout his career at Clemson. The redshirt junior has played alongside the second shift of the Clemson defensive line but has come up in important moments over the last two seasons.

This season, he’s recorded 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack in the first four games, sacking Syracuse quarterback Rickie Collins in the team’s last game in the third quarter. He recovered a fumble against Pittsburgh and recorded multiple pass breakups last season as well.

With a Clemson defensive line that needs to get to the quarterback quicker, playing the likes of SMU’s Kevin Jennings, Duke’s Darien Mensah and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, it will be a point of emphasis for the Clemson defense and its coordinator, Tom Allen.