What Dabo Swinney said about Clemson's 3 additions for 2026 class on national signing day

CLEMSON — Clemson football signed three new players to its 2026 recruiting class on national signing day Feb. 4.

The Tigers added junior college defensive lineman Andy Burburija, three-star wide receiver Cam Blivens and no-star wideout Keil McGriff.

It was the first time since 2022 when the Tigers landed eight recruits that Dabo Swinney‘s team signed a player in February.

Swinney’s class has 23 players and is ranked No. 20 nationally (fourth in ACC), according to the 247Sports Composite.

Here’s what Swinney said about each signee.

Andy Burburija is Clemson‘s first junior college signee under Dabo Swinney

Burburija, pronounced “bur-bur-REE-uh,” is rated as the No. 58 juco player nationally and No. 9 defensive lineman. He flipped his commitment from Nebraska to Clemson on Jan. 19.

The 6-foot-2 defensive tackle spent two seasons at Iowa Western Community College. He set career highs in 2025, recording 45 tackles, including 18.5 for loss and 11 sacks. He is Swinney’s first junior college addition in his tenure as Clemson’s coach.

“Andy Burburija is (a) big kid we identified really early when the portal opened,” Swinney said in a school release on Feb. 4.” Man, he’s a strong, tough, physical kid. He’s a national champion, and you don’t see many defensive tackles that have 11 sacks.

“He’s a very unique story. He’s a first-generation American. His parents are from Albania, and he’s got this tremendous drive to him that I think has really helped him develop into the player that he’s become. Coming from national champion Iowa Western, he’s a guy we’re super excited about joining our program and bringing some toughness to that defense.”

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Cam Blivens joins Clemson with sole focus on football

Blivens, 6-2, decommitted from Columbia in December and skipped the early signing period. Then, Clemson called the next month, and he committed on Jan. 18.

Blivens caught 63 passes for 1,086 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025 at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, and also played basketball in high school.

“Cam Blivens is a really high-level basketball player that probably could have gone on and played college basketball, but he really made more of the commitment to football over the past year or so and has really, really blossomed,” Swinney said. “He is a big-time, super athlete, a multi-sport guy. He’s scored over 2,000 points in his basketball career in the state of Tennessee.

“He is an elite athlete, but a big, tough, physical, strong receiver coming from a great program. And he’s a guy that we were really fortunate that he didn’t sign in the early signing period and it worked out for us to be able to find him and get on him. I think he’s got high upside as he truly commits to one sport.”

Dabo Swinney sees Keil McGriff as a versatile player for Clemson

McGriff, 5-10, missed the 2025 season at Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Florida, with an ankle injury. He recorded 48 catches for 787 yards with eight touchdowns as a junior.

McGriff is the son of former Florida and NFL wide receiver Travis McGriff and the grandson of Lee McGriff, also a former Florida and NFL wideout.

“Keil McGriff is an athlete. He’s a kid that has played quarterback, receiver and corner, and he’s a returner,” Swinney said. “So he’s got a diverse skill set. He got big-time bloodlines. His father was a great player. His grandfather was a great player. The whole McGriff family, they were all great, great players at a high level.

“His father played in the pros. Keil ended up having to miss his entire senior season, but he never played receiver until his junior year, so we really look at him more as an athlete at this point because he played quarterback his whole life. He was always the best athlete, and was a good, productive quarterback and certainly could give us an arm there if we needed it, but we really see him more as a receiver and a true athlete.

“He’s got a really good skill set there, and he’s been a returner, but he’s a guy that really fit a need for us within our 14 spots that we have, so I’m excited about him joining us and getting back healthy.”

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: Dabo Swinney, Clemson football coach, on 3 additions to 2026 class