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Projecting Clemson football, Dabo Swinney's starters entering 2025 as Cade Klubnik returns
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- Projecting Clemson football, Dabo Swinney's starters entering 2025 as Cade Klubnik returns
Clemson football will be in its best position in years to win the national championship in 2025.
The Tigers made the CFP in 2024 after winning the ACC to end their three-year absence but lost to Texas in the first round . Yet, next season is when they can truly vie for the national championship as they return all of their end-of-year starters who have eligibility remaining.
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Clemson did not lose key starters during the transfer portal window either. Dabo Swinney 's team will have to replace starters whose eligibility ended, but it boasts capable depth to potentially maintain that production in 2025.
Here's our early look at the Tigers' potential depth chart after the transfer portal window closed.
Clemson football 's offensive starters
QB Cade Klubnik
Klubnik announced he will return to Clemson for his fourth season after considering forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft. He will enter his third full season as a starter in the third year in offensive coordinator Garrett Riley's system.
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RB Gideon Davidson
Running back Phil Mafah 's eligibility has ended, leaving a gaping hole at running back for Clemson. Jay Haynes was the likely candidate to replace Mafah, but he tore his ACL in the ACC championship game. Jarvis Green , Keith Adams and David Eziomume were rarely used in 2024, and Swinney is considering moving wide receiver Adam Randall to running back full time.
This leaves Davidson, a 2025 four-star signee, in a position to capture the No. 1 running back role. Swinney called him the best running back in the 2025 class on early signing day .
WR Antonio Williams , Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore
This trio started the last five games for Clemson in 2024. Williams − who led the team in receptions (75), receiving yards (904) and receiving touchdowns (11) − considered forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft but on Friday announced his return to Clemson.
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Wesco and Moore both showed strong flashes in their inaugural seasons and are expected to develop more entering their second season. The trio will have Tyler Brown , incoming transfer Tristan Smith and Cole Turner to support the unit.
MORE: How Clemson football will replace these 5 valuable players for 2025 season
TE Olsen Patt-Henry
When the 2024 season began, Patt-Henry was listed with Markus Dixon for No. 3 tight end. Patt-Henry's run blocking and red-zone presence helped him rise to No. 2 behind Jake Briningstool .
Patt-Henry finished with nine catches for 121 yards with three touchdowns last year. With Briningstool's eligibility expiring, Patt-Henry is in line to be the No. 1 tight end in 2025.
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OL Tristan Leigh, Harris Sewell, Ryan Linthicum, Walker Parks, Blake Miller
Left tackle Tristan Leigh, center Ryan Linthicum, right guard Walker Parks and right tackle Blake Miller will return next season. Leigh and Miller both announced their return on Saturday. Left guard Marcus Tate, whose eligibility ended, likely will be replaced by Harris Sewell, who started three games in 2024.
Clemson football's defensive starters
DL T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, Stephiylan Green , Will Heldt
Parker (end) and Woods (tackle) are two of last year's starters who will return on the line. Parker will be aided on the opposite end by Purdue transfer Will Heldt , who recorded five sacks last season.
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Green, a defensive tackle, is in line to make his first start with Payton Page's eligibility expiring, Tré Williams transferring and DeMonte Capehart likely going pro.
LB Wade Woodaz , Sammy Brown
Woodaz announced in December he will return for his senior season. He led Clemson in tackles with 83 despite missing two games.
Brown, a former five-star freshman who finished third in tackles with 80 last year and received freshman All-America honors, will replace Barrett Carter , whose eligibility expired.
CB Avieon Terrell , Ashton Hampton
This duo started the last four games for Clemson. Terrell started in every game in 2024 and will enter next season as the Tigers' No. 1 cornerback again.
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Hampton earned snaps over then-starter Jeadyn Lukus toward the end of the year, which led to Hampson earning his first career start in Week 13. His 6-foot-2 frame matched with his range as helped him earn freshman All-America honors.
S Khalil Barnes, Ricardo Jones
Barnes, who can play at nickelback and safety, will be critical to a safety room that is losing starters R.J. Mickens , Sherrod Covil Jr. and possibly backup Tyler Venables.
Jones could be in line for a larger role to replace Mickens. Jones did not redshirt last season, playing in 12 games, and Swinney is high on the former four-star recruit.
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Clemson football's special teams starters
K Nolan Hauser, P Jack Smith
Hauser, who made the game-winning field goal to propel the Tigers to the CFP, will return for his second season.
Smith, who has only five punts in his three seasons, will replace sixth-year punter Aidan Swanson.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Projecting Clemson football, Dabo Swinney starters entering 2025 season
