What to Expect From Clemson's Offensive Line After Transfer Portal Period

Friday marks the final day of players entering the transfer portal, meaning that the Clemson Tigers will be close to done with their acquisitions this weekend.

Head coach Dabo Swinney is welcoming 10 new players to the program, one on offense and nine on defense, to aid departures from both units. With that, of course, questions will emerge about what’s to come for next season.

One of those questions is at the offensive line, a critical position to fill for the Tigers next season.

As of Friday afternoon, Swinney won’t be adding an offensive line member through the portal, meaning what he has will be what he will be working with for 2026, most likely. That means rotational pieces from last season will see a lot more work, and potentially, some true freshmen could be getting snaps early.

Tristan Leigh, Ryan Linthicum, Walker Parks and Blake Miller are the main four that will be a huge loss for the team next season. With that, both tackle positions are needed and a center, which Swinney has been crosstraining others to fill in the role.

The two players who saw the most snaps and are expected to play big roles are Collin Sadler and Harris Sewell. Sadler’s been seen on the left side of the line frequently since the 2022-23 season, mainly at guard. Sewell, on the other hand, saw the most snaps at right guard but was also cross-trained at center, playing 25 snaps there.

Another player expected to take another big step is rising sophomore Brayden Jacobs. He had four starts last season and saw over 100 snaps at both left tackle and left guard. He is expected to take Leigh’s position at guard next season.

Meanwhile, on the right side of the line, Ronan O’Connell was a late riser, playing frequently in the Pinstripe Bowl in December. He played 66 snaps at left guard for Clemson due to injuries, but he might be flipped to the other side at the guard position, especially if Sewell moves to center. He may be competing for the position with Elyjah Thurmon, who was out for the majority of the season with an injury.

Swinney spoke highly of freshman Gavin Blanchard as well, who was permitted to activate his redshirt for next season. He played only 13 snaps, which were all against Furman.

“You know, he was kind of like a lost guy in this class, but that’s a good football player right there,” he said about Blanchard. “He’s a dirtbag. He’s a really good football player. He’s a smart football player. He just, he’s just one of those guys that, that plays better than his attributes, I guess is the best way I can say it, say that.”

Ian Reed and Mason Wade, both redshirt freshmen last season, are important names to keep in mind as well. The two were both behind the left and right tackle in the depth chart, respectively, towards the end of the season. Both also saw snaps at those given positions against the Paladins on Senior Day.

Of course, you can’t analyze the room without talking about the incoming freshmen, who could honestly turn some heads and make waves early. The three biggest players that could break through are Chancellor Barclay, Grant Wise and Carter Scruggs. All three were top 20 players as offensive line prospects, keeping their names in the know as potential interior offensive linemen, or even centers.

Other recruits, like Adam Guthrie and Braden Wilmes, bring tremendous size. Both incoming freshmen are 6-foot-7 or bigger.

It gives Swinney and offensive line coach Matt Luke plenty of options to use. The position is a developmental one, with a productive offseason potentially allowing one of these players to secure a spot on the offensive line early.

Fortunately, for Luke, after four experienced veterans leave the program, there are others who are expected to take the reins before the Sept. 5 matchup against LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.