Updated Friday, September 4, 2026, ahead of the LSU opener. For the third straight year Dabo Swinney has declined to release a depth chart before Week 1; he hands one to the press box at kickoff. This is the projected two deep from camp reporting and Swinney’s public comments. It is updated once the game day chart is out and after every game.
Clemson is unranked to open a season for the first time since 2011, coming off a 7-6 year, and starts Christopher Vizzina at quarterback with true freshman Tait Reynolds expected to play. That is the only starter Swinney has named. The roster is a mix of returning young talent, Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore, Sammy Brown, and a bigger than usual transfer class up front and in the secondary.
Offense
| Position | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Christopher Vizzina, Sr. | Tait Reynolds, Fr.; Trent Pearman |
| RB | Gideon Davidson | Chris Johnson Jr. (transfer); David Eziomume, Jarvis Green |
| WR | Bryant Wesco Jr. | Cole Turner |
| WR | T.J. Moore | Tristan Smith |
| WR (slot) | Tyler Brown | Gordon Sellars |
| TE | Olsen Patt-Henry | Christian Bentancur; Charlie Johnson |
| LT | Brayden Jacobs | Grant Wise |
| LG | Elyjah Thurmon | Ronan O’Connell |
| C | Harris Sewell | Tucker Kattus |
| RG | Collin Sadler | Gavin Blanchard |
| RT | Easton Ware | Grant Wise |
Defense
| Position | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Will Heldt | London Merritt |
| DT | Markus Strong (Oklahoma transfer) | Champ Thompson |
| DT | Amare Adams | Vic Burley |
| DE | Jahiem Lawson | Darien Mayo |
| LB | Sammy Brown | — |
| LB | Kobe McCloud | — |
| SAM | Jeremiah Alexander | — |
| CB | Ashton Hampton | — |
| CB | Elliot Washington II (Penn State transfer) | — |
| Nickel | Misun Kelley | — |
| S | Jerome Carter III (Old Dominion transfer) | Ronan Hanafin |
| S | Corey Myrick (Southern Miss transfer) | Kylon Griffin |
Special Teams
| K | Nolan Hauser; Robert Gunn III on kickoffs |
| P | Jack Smith |
| LS / H | Jackson Reach; Clay Swinney holds |
| PR | Bryant Wesco Jr. |
| KR | Tyler Brown |
Position Breakdown
Quarterback. Swinney named Vizzina the starter Tuesday and said in the same breath that Tait Reynolds “likely” plays at LSU, with no set package or series. Vizzina’s only career start was last year at SMU (29 of 42, 317 yards, 3 TD). Swinney said Vizzina is “a little ahead, not a mile ahead.”
Running back. Gideon Davidson is the lead back with transfer Chris Johnson Jr. and David Eziomume behind him.
Receiver. Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore outside, Tyler Brown in the slot. All three return; this is the strength of the offense and the reason a first year quarterback has a chance.
Tight end. Olsen Patt-Henry starts, with Christian Bentancur behind him.
Offensive line. Brayden Jacobs and Easton Ware at tackle, Elyjah Thurmon and Collin Sadler at guard, Harris Sewell at center. Clemson’s run game ranked 111th nationally last season; this group has to be better for Vizzina to be protected.
Defensive line. Will Heldt and Jahiem Lawson at end, Oklahoma transfer Markus Strong and Amare Adams inside. The run defense was top 16 a year ago and returns 57 percent of its production against an LSU rushing attack that ranked 122nd.
Linebacker. Sammy Brown is the best player on the defense. Kobe McCloud and Jeremiah Alexander (Sam) round it out.
Secondary. Four of five projected starters are new or newly elevated: Ashton Hampton, Penn State transfer Elliot Washington II at corner, Misun Kelley at nickel, and transfers Jerome Carter III (Old Dominion) and Corey Myrick (Southern Miss) at safety.
The Bottom Line
Clemson’s receivers and defensive front are proven; the quarterback, the offensive line and a transfer built secondary are not, and Swinney would rather LSU find out at kickoff. The game is previewed at Clemson vs. LSU and the full slate is on our Clemson schedule. This page is updated with the game day chart and after every game.