Clemson rivals making moves in the Transfer Portal
As things currently stand, Clemson has been one of the least impacted teams by the Transfer Portal, both incoming and outgoing. Currently, there are seven former Clemson players in the portal and two juniors - Nate Wiggins and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. - who have declared for the NFL Draft. That leaves Clemson with a very good roster heading into a Gator Bowl appearance against Kentucky.
When asked if he foresaw any more moves before the bowl game, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he believes his roster is pretty much set, "As best I can tell [no more moves will be made]. But as you all know, it's just Tuesday of 2023 college football."
Arkansas running back Raheim Sanders has committed to South Carolina.
While Clemson has set pat in the portal thus far, some of their chief rivals have been making moves to improve their rosters.
South Carolina made a splash on Wednesday, landing All-SEC running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders out of Arkansas. Sanders rushed for over 1,400 yards in 2022 but struggled with injuries this year. He did show how impactful he can be when healthy, rushing for 103 yards in Arkansas's 39-36 win over Florida. The 6-foot-2, 242-pound back will be a welcomed addition for the Gamecocks.
N.C. State, a team that took down Clemson in overtime this season, has taken to the portal to solidify their offensive line, signing tackle Valen Erickson out of Missouri and Notre Dame interior offensive lineman Zeke Correll. They also landed quarterback Grayson McCall, who has been a stud for Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt for the past four years.
One team that has been noticeably quiet in the portal is Florida State. The Seminoles made waves last offseason, bringing in 12 players via the portal, including wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Jaheim Bell. So far, they haven't signed a single player out of the portal, while 13 Seminoles have jumped in. They are preparing for an Orange Bowl matchup against Georgia, but with it not being a Playoff game, it seemed likely they'd be more active at this point. With that said, former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is reportedly set to visit the Seminoles this weekend.
