Tracking Clemson Freshmen at Risk of Losing a Year of Eligibility

Clemson, SC. – As the Clemson Tigers approach their bye week, plenty of true freshmen are at risk of exhausting a year of eligibility after playing in all four games.

NCAA rules allow players who have not used a redshirt to play in four games without exhausting a year of eligibility.

Clemson brought in 15 freshmen for the 2025 class, placing 26th in the 247Sports Composite rankings. It marked Dabo Swinney's lowest-rated recruiting cycle since 2010 and his smallest class since 2017. The roster later fell to 14 players after Marquise Henderson was dismissed during the offseason.

With recent news regarding four-star recruit Easton Ware suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, it seems prudent to keep track of the Tigers' freshmen and their eligibility as the season continues.

Clemson on SI has compiled a comprehensive list of Clemson's players and their participation level.

The list below does not include walk-ons.

Participation count is according to the team's official roster. Snaps on special teams, even if a player hasn't played in their respective offensive or defensive position, also counts.

Four Games Played

The freshmen below have played in all four games. Participation against UNC in Week 6 or any subsequent game would automatically burn a year of eligibility.

RB Gideon Davidson

Dabo Swinney most recently said on last week's edition of Tiger Hour that he has "a ton of confidence" in Gideon Davidson, even though he hasn't gotten much opportunity behind Adam Randall. "Both of them are freshmen ... they've got great days ahead of them."

DT Amare Adams

"Amare is a highly talented football player. He comes from a really great program (South Florence). He looks the part, and he works hard each and every day. But he has to continue to develop and know what to do," Defensive line coach Nick Eason said. "That's my job as a coach, whatever that takes… he's had really good practices the last couple of weeks, he just has to fine-tune the minute details of his work and our defense. His confidence is growing weekly, and the more it grows, the more he puts on tape that he can execute within the defense, the more he'll play."

OT Brayden Jacobs

"He's eight, right there [behind the starters]. He's on his way, we got a good group, I mean Brayden [Jacobs], Ronan O'Connell, Mason Wade, Easton Ware, Dietrick Pennington," Swinney said ahead of the season-opener. "We've come out of camp with a good group of 12 guys that give us really good quality depth. Seven of them, we think, are ready to start, and Brayden is coming."

(No Freshman has played in 2/3 games yet)

One Game Played

The freshmen listed below have played in one of four games. They still have three games of participation available before exhausting a year of eligibility.

S JaKarrion Kenan

No Games Played/Plan to Redshirt

The freshmen listed below have yet to play a game. They have all four free games available before exhausting a year of eligibility. There are no scholarship juniors in this category.

OT Easton Ware

Will redshirt after re-aggravating a shoulder injury that first sidelined him during fall camp and now has him missing the entire 2025 season.

DE Ari Watford

He was recently rehabbing after suffering an ACL tear in his senior high school season, but was cleared for practice last week.

LB Logan Anderson

Out and rehabbing after suffering an ACL tear in the first round of his senior season playoffs.

TE Logan Brooking

According to Dabo Swinney, they're trying to hold him for a redshirt year and let him play his four games near the end of the season.

WR JuJu Preston

A possible redshirt player, Swinney noted that he was banged up in fall camp and needs to beef up ahead of the 2025 season. Has also been dealing with a hamstring injury through the season's first four weeks.

OT Rowan Byrnes
DT Makhi Williams-Lee: Dealing with an undisclosed injury to start the season.

OT Tucker Kattus
QB Chris Denson
OL Gavin Blanchard