Amid a season during which Clemson won the ACC and is in the College Football Playoff, head coach Dabo Swinney has finally embraced the transfer portal. At least for one player.
The Tigers are adding receiver Tristan Smith from the portal. Smith played two years at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas before transferring to Southeast Missouri State this season. The junior notched 76 receptions for 934 yards and six touchdowns with the RedHawks. In the FCS playoffs, he caught 10 passes for 139 yards and a TD versus Illinois State.
Smith, 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, announced his transfer to Clemson on Instagram. He reportedly chose the Tigers over Kentucky.
The receiver will have one season of eligibility for Clemson. Smith is the first skill position player that Swinney has added during his tenure as head coach. Will there be more to come?
Previously, the Tigers have taken quarterbacks Hunter Johnson and Paul Tyson via transfer. But Swinney has publicly shown little interest in recruiting players who are in the transfer portal, which critics have pointed to as a reason for Clemson declining after a 10-year run as one of the top programs in college football.
“If I took a job somewhere else, I’d be the greatest portal recruiter ever because half of my roster would be gone and I’d have to put it together,” he added. “But if you study our team, our retention is as good anybody in the country. Guys graduate, they stay, and we recruit.”
Adding Smith should help Clemson overcome the loss of receivers Troy Stellato and Noble Johnson to the transfer portal. (Johnson committed to Arizona State on Sunday.)
If he puts up similar numbers to what he compiled during his lone season at Southeast Missouri State, Smith will be the Tigers’ leading receiver next year. This season, Antonio Williams led Clemson with 71 catches for 838 yards and 10 touchdowns.
No. 12 seed Clemson travels to No. 5 Texas for a first-round CFP matchup on Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
