A Strategic Reinforcement
Clemson has turned to the transfer portal to plug a gap left by Kourtney Kelly’s torn ACL, a setback that forced the program to seek immediate help on the interior line.
Devarrick Woods, a 6‑foot‑3, 290‑pound tackle from Bossier City, Louisiana, arrives after two seasons at Hinds Community College and a year at Texas State, where he logged 16 tackles, two for loss, and a sack in 11 games.
His arrival marks the eleventh transfer Dabo Swinney has welcomed this offseason, underscoring the coach’s aggressive approach to rebuilding a defensive front that has been depleted by injury.
The Tigers have also secured transfers such as SMU running back Chris Johnson Jr. and Wingate wideout Jaylen Brown‑Wallace, bringing the total number of newcomers to a dozen, most of them on the defensive side of the ball.
The moves come as the NCAA tightens rules aimed at curbing ‘ghost transfers,’ a phenomenon that has allowed programs to stockpile players without clear academic or eligibility pathways.