Clemson Starting Safety Enters Transfer Portal

With the second day of the transfer portal window coming to a close, another Clemson Tiger has made the decision to enter the transfer portal. Ricardo Jones, a starting safety for the Tigers, officially submitted his name to the portal on Saturday night, as first reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett. Jones is entering the portal with two years of eligibility remaining, marking a significant shift in the team’s defensive strategy.

Jones becomes the thirteenth player — and third at his position — to enter the transfer portal for the Tigers this cycle. The program currently has only four total safeties left on the roster, including Ronan Hanafin, Kylon Griffin, Noah Dixon, and incoming true freshman Polo Anderson. This development adds to the uncertainty surrounding the future of the secondary.

Originally part of Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class, the 190-pound safety joined the Tigers as one of the top players in the class, choosing the program over Auburn, Tennessee, and Florida State. His recruitment was highly anticipated, as he was ranked as the sixth-highest recruit in his respective class, holding a four-star rating and ranked as the No. 172 prospect, the No. 12 safety, and the No. 20 player from Georgia, according to 247Sports rankings.

While other true freshmen like Sammy Brown and Bryant Wesco Jr. saw immediate action, Jones took a more reserved role behind now-Los Angeles Chargers safety R.J. Mickens. Through 12 game appearances, the young talent played sparingly at both free safety and strong safety, making impactful plays in the limited action he got. On the season, Jones recorded 20 tackles, one for a loss, one sack, and one interception.

This past season, Jones made a noticeable jump in performance and leapfrogged redshirt junior Kylon Griffin for the starting free safety spot, where he excelled as a true sophomore. However, he still moved over to strong safety for a few contests.

In 12 starts, Jones recorded 39 tackles, including one for a loss, along with three pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and an ACC-high six interceptions. One of the season’s most memorable moments came on one of those picks, as Jones returned a LaNorris Sellers interception to the end zone to seal a Palmetto Bowl victory for the Tigers.

Jones’ departure further reshapes Clemson’s secondary outlook, with two safeties now set to exit the program in Khalil Barnes and Rob Billings, as well as two cornerbacks in Shelton Lewis and walk-on Michael Mankaka. Compounding the situation, Clemson currently does not have a safeties coach and is slated to sign just one player at the position in Polo Anderson, as previously noted, due to the Tigers coming up short in the races for both four-star Kaden Gebhardt, who flipped to Ohio State, and three-star Blake Stewart, who flipped to Georgia, during this recruiting cycle.

However, head coach Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator Tom Allen are already actively working to add depth and competition within the room. Clemson has reached out to Kansas transfer Lyrik Rawls and scheduled an official visit for Jan. 10-11.

Clemson Tigers will continue to provide coverage of every player in the transfer portal through our portal tracker.

Key Points About Ricardo Jones’ Departure

• Ricardo Jones, a starting safety for the Clemson Tigers, has entered the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining.
• He becomes the thirteenth player and third at his position to enter the portal for the Tigers this cycle.
• The program currently has only four total safeties left on the roster, including Ronan Hanafin, Kylon Griffin, Noah Dixon, and incoming true freshman Polo Anderson.
• Jones was originally part of Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class and was ranked as the sixth-highest recruit in his respective class.
• His performance improved significantly this past season, leading to 12 starts and impressive stats, including six interceptions.
• His departure adds to the challenges facing Clemson’s secondary, which is losing several key players and lacks a safeties coach.
• Despite these challenges, the coaching staff is actively seeking to add depth and competition, including reaching out to Kansas transfer Lyrik Rawls.