Since the portal window opened, Clemson has remained active on the hunt defensively. While the Tigers picked up nine transfers on that side of the ball so far this season, HC Dabo Swinney and DC Tom Allen are reportedly making moves to add two more to their defensive line from two of the Big Ten powerhouses.

According to Clemson alumnus William Cockerill, the Tigers have been in contact with Michigan’s DL Enow Etta and Oregon’s FL Tionne Gray to land a commitment through the transfer portal. Both are three-star graded in the transfer portal, where Etta has two years of eligibility left, and Gray has two years. The report reveals that Swinney and Allen could preferably add at least one more DL to their 2026 roster.

If you take a closer look, both have similar numbers and stats on their collegiate experience at their previous schools.

Ennova Etta, in his three seasons with the Wolverines, saw 294 defensive snaps and totalled 20 tackles, three for loss, and had a sack and two pass deflections. He was honored as Defensive Player of the Week twice, along with his teammate.

On the other hand, Oregon’s Tionne Gray was a part of 232 defensive snaps and totaled 18 tackles, two for loss, and one blocked field goal this season. As an IOL, he saw the third most snaps for Oregon and was only behind starters Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington.

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Cockerill believes that both could be a great fit for the Tigers’ roster, matching similar characteristics. Etta, as a 6-foot-4.5, 320-pounder, could be a counterpart of Stephylian Green as an interior defensive lineman, with the ability to showcase athleticism. On the other hand, Gray, with his 6-foot-3, 336-pound, massive body frame, could resemble Demonte Caphart, blocking massive space in the line of scrimmage.

While their numbers look promising, whether they could match the people they’ll replace, TJ Parker and Peter Woods, needs to be seen, as both left for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Dabo Swinney loses star DLs to the NFL Draft

Losing TJ Parker and Peter Woods to the 2026 NFL Draft is the biggest reason why Dabo Swinney and Tom Allen are in active search for defensive linemen. Both played a significant role in the Tigers’ defense during their three seasons.

In his three seasons with Clemson, Parker totaled 127 tackles, 41.5 for loss, 21.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles. He had a dip in his production this past season; however, he is projected as the 20th overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by Pro Football Focus. With one year of eligibility remaining, he declared his decision to head to the 2026 NFL Draft.

On the other hand, Peter Woods accounted for 82 total tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles for Clemson in his three seasons with the school. He also scored two rushing touchdowns in goal-line packages this season. 

Similar to Parker, he announced his entry to the draft with one year of eligibility remaining. He is currently projected as a top ten pick in the NFL draft. Mel Kiper even listed Woods as the No. 1-ranked defensive tackle and No. 13 overall-ranked player on his Big Board rankings.