Dabo Swinney's Clemson QB transfer portal options are shrinking. Here's who is left
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CLEMSON — Clemson football landed its first offensive transfer player on Day 10 of the portal with the addition of SMU running back Chris Johnson Jr.
Will a portal quarterback be next? The portal closes on Jan. 16 although players can commit after that.
Three-year starting quarterback Cade Klubnik is gone, which leaves Christopher Vizzina (one start in three years), Chris Denson (zero in one year), former walk-on Trent Pearman (zero in three years) and freshman signees Brock Bradley and Tait Reynolds on Clemson‘s roster next year.
The Tigers and new offensive coordinator Chad Morris can go into 2026 with one of these players as the team’s starter or pursue a portal quarterback to compete to be the No. 1.
If the latter happens, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his staff will have to land someone who isn’t highly ranked as 18 of the top 20 quarterbacks in the portal have already chosen their new school, according to 247Sports rankings.
Here are Clemson’s options before the portal closes Jan. 16 to new players entering it.
Is Chandler Morris still an option for Clemson?
Chad Morris sat out of coaching this season to watch his son, Chandler Morris, play quarterback at Virginia. He threw for 3,000 passing yards for 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions and rushed for five scores to help the Cavaliers make the ACC championship and set a program record with 11 wins.
Chandler Morris attended middle school in the Clemson area when his dad was offensive coordinator from 2011-14. He petitioned the NCAA for a seventh year of eligibility, and it was denied, but he plans to use all options to play in 2026, according to multiple reports.
If he is granted a seventh season, would he enter the portal to come to Clemson? An exit to Clemson would also mean leaving coach Tony Elliot, who coached with the Tigers from 2011-21.
From Clemson’s side, would Swinney want a one-year quarterback? It’s also unclear when Chandler Morris’ new appeal will be resolved, and it is extra dicey to wait on a resolution with the spring portal window gone.
Other transfer portal quarterback options for Clemson
Almost all of the premier portal quarterbacks have found their new schools, but Clemson can find an overlooked gem similar to what Ole Miss did when adding Trinidad Chambliss out of Ferris State, a Division II program, this season.
No transfer portal quarterbacks have been linked to Clemson so far.
Here are updates on the top remaining quarterbacks in the portal, according to various reports:
Husan Longstreet, Southern Cal
Longstreet, a former five-star recruit and No. 6 quarterback in the portal, has been linked to LSU, which just gained No. 1 portal quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State. He has four years of eligibility remaining.
Beau Pribula, Missouri
Pribula, the No. 15 quarterback in the portal, is linked to Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Stanford and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Jake Merklinger, Tennessee
Merklinger hasn’t been linked to any teams and has three years of eligibility remaining. Merklinger, the No. 26 quarterback in the portal, threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns in four games this season.
EJ Colson, Incarnate Word
He hasn’t been linked to any teams and has three years of eligibility remaining. Colson, the No. 34 quarterback in the portal, threw for 2,142 yards, 16 touchdowns, four interceptions and rushed for 287 yards and three scores in 10 games at the FCS level.
KJ Cooper, Texas Southern
Cooper, the No. 54 quarterback in the portal, hasn’t been linked to teams either. He threw for 1,626 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushed for 292 yards and four scores this season at the FCS level. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at DCarter@usatodayco.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: If Dabo Swinney wants Clemson QB in transfer portal, here’s who is left
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