Beyond the Depth Chart: My 36-month approach to Re-Engineering a Championship Roster for Clemson University in the Transfer Portal Era

 

Photo Courtesy of Clemson University Athletics

By Nate McCray — Player Personnel Strategist & Football Operations Architect

If I were the Director of Player Personnel for the Clemson Tigers, my first priority would be redefining what roster sustainability truly looks like in today’s game. We’re living in an era where championship teams aren’t built solely on tradition, they’re built on adaptability, structure, and execution.

My 36-month plan wouldn’t be a guessing game. It would be a strategic roster overhaul rooted in analytics, cultural fit, and forward-looking evaluation models, all tailored to keep Clemson elite in the NIL and Transfer Portal age without compromising the program’s championship DNA.  Here’s what I would implement to engineer long-term success in Tiger Town.

“Every roster reset starts with an honest audit.”  My first move would be a top-down roster evaluation:

• Who is contributing?
• Who is close to graduating or transferring?
• Who needs a tailored development plan?

I would introduce a Retention Risk Index to assess each player’s likelihood to stay, based on playtime, academic standing, injury history, and NIL market pull. That allows us to proactively manage potential attrition.

As for the Transfer Portal, I would adopt a strict profile filter:

• Power 5 experience
• 2+ years of eligibility
• Scheme match and high-character background

Clemson doesn’t need a revolving door; they need precision additions. Think edge rushers, CBs, and a developmental QB2.  On the recruiting front, I would reset our regional footprint:

• 60% of our board from Georgia, Florida, Carolinas, DMV
• 25% from Midwest and Texas
• 15% reserved for elite national targets

Our first year recruiting class would focus on reestablishing our brand as the “Developmental Powerhouse with NFL Results.”  I would also emphasize on-site and national summer camp exposure, staff would attend:

• Under Armour Future 50
• Rivals Five-Star Challenge
• Elite 11 Regionals
• OL Masterminds
• Clemson’s own Elite & Positional Camps

These aren’t just events, they’re first-touch evaluations for future Tigers.  “Development must become Clemson’s competitive edge again.”

In Year 2, I would launch the Tiger Futures Program, a structured red shirt and developmental track focused on:

• Weekly IQ film sessions
• Strength/mass benchmarks by position
• Leadership and media training modules

Recruiting-wise, I would push our staff to identify 2026 targets 12 months earlier.  My goal:

• Offer 40% of the class by March of their junior year
• Focus on two-sport athletes, verified speed, and multi-dimensional football IQ

We would build out a Portal Tandem Strategy, targeting position clusters (QB + WR, OL + TE) to preserve chemistry and improve implementation speeds.  Meanwhile, I would grow our footprint at major summer camps:

• Mega Camps in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta
• Sound Mind Sound Body (Detroit)
• Invite-only Clemson Junior Elite Weekend on campus

I would also build a position-specific analyst team to own each board: WRs graded on separation and top-end speed; OLs on anchor strength and reactive leverage; QBs on pre-snap reads and velocity timing. No more guesswork, just metrics, film, and projection.

“In Year 3, we turn sustainability into strategic advantage.”  If I were in this chair long-term, I would make national presence a reality. I would assign a “National Recruiter” with an SEC background to cover: 

• California
• Arizona
• Missouri
• Illinois

Every elite program must stretch.  The Clemson brand can travel. And they will still dominate the core footprint because of the Clemson Edge, structure, culture, and results.  By this point, I would have a Succession Plan Matrix for each position:

• Who is leaving?
• Who is ready to step in?
• Who are we developing behind the scenes?

On the NIL front, I would integrate a transparent model with player profiles, matching value alignment with on-field production. That creates retention and reduces transfer volatility. I would also lead an internal push to launch satellite Clemson Summer Combines in:

• Georgia
• Texas
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Florida
• California
• Ohio
• Michigan

We wouldn’t wait for the talent to find us; we would go to them.  If I were Clemson’s Director of Player Personnel, this plan wouldn’t just live in a binder. It would live in the war room, on the practice field, in the minds of every analyst, and in the decisions of every coach and collective partner.  This isn’t about chasing trends.  It’s about building a machine, calibrated for the present, and constructed for the future.  Clemson isn’t being rebuilt. It’s reloading, with purpose.  And if I were in the chair, this blueprint is how I would lead that reload.