Dabo Swinney loves this Clemson football position group entering 2026

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney singled out one position group he’s particularly excited about as the Tigers‘ fall camp opened Thursday.

Swinney praised the Tigers’ tight end room, which features returning players Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur, as well as three-star freshman Tayveon Wilson among others.

“That’s a room we love,” Swinney said at his Thursday press conference.

One player who Swinney thinks is overlooked on the depth chart is former walk-on Charlie Johnson, a graduate senior from Columbia.

“There’s a name none of y’all know,” Swinney said. “I would throw Charlie Johnson in there. That’s Ellis Johnson’s son. But man, this was a kid who was a wideout that we were like, ‘You know what? Kind of like Brandon Ford back in the day. That big-bodied receiver and we were like, ‘Probably needs to move into the tight end (room) if he can toughen up a little bit. That kid (Johnson) is like 235 pounds, and he’s got a chance.

“It’s going to start with those three (Patt-Henry, Bentancur and Wilson) because those guys are high-profile guys, but I’d throw Charlie in there. I think Charlie’s a good player.”

Wilson is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound freshman from Huntington, West Virginia, who Swinney said he can’t wait to see come into his own at tight end.

“We got Tayveon in here, finally. I feel like I’ve been recruiting Tayveon for five years. He might have been our first commit or one of them in that class. And he’s finally here, and this kid is a kid I can’t wait to see develop. Whatever he’s done in his life, he’s been great at it. He’s been the best. The best basketball player, best football player, best baseball player, best track guy. He’s done it all. The guy’s an amazing student, and he’s finally here.

“Obviously, I haven’t been on the field with him, but that’s a room we love. He’s a guy that, it’s a tough position, he’s got a lot to learn. We’ll see where he’s at.”

“We got Tayveon in here, finally. I feel like I’ve been recruiting Tayveon for five years. He might have been our first commit or one of them in that class. And he’s finally here, and this kid is a kid I can’t wait to see develop. Whatever he’s done in his life, he’s been great at it. He’s been the best. The best basketball player, best football player, best baseball player, best track guy. He’s done it all. The guy’s an amazing student, and he’s finally here.

“Obviously, I haven’t been on the field with him, but that’s a room we love. He’s a guy that, it’s a tough position, he’s got a lot to learn. We’ll see where he’s at.”

Patt-Henry, Bentancur and Wilson are all players “ready to go compete,” Swinney said.

Patt-Henry suffered a right knee injury with two games left in the 2025 season and was still recovering in spring camp before returning in July. He caught 16 passes for 126 yards in nine games a season ago.

“It’s a room we’re going to need,” Swinney said of the tight ends. “Getting (Patt-Henry) back is big. He’s a physical blocker. He’s another guy, as you said, just development. You notice him at the point of attack. He’s a good route-runner.”

Bentancur led Clemson‘s tight end group last season with 20 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in nine games during his second season with the Tigers.

“Bentancur, there really ain’t much he can’t do,” Swinney said. “And we expect him to take another big step this year. He had some really good moments for us last year.”

Clemson opens the season Sept. 5 at LSU and is ranked No. 23 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll.
schedule 2026

• Sept. 5: at LSU, 7:30 p.m., ABC

• Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern, 7:30 p.m., ACC Network

• Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina, noon, ESPN

• Sept. 25: at California, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

• Oct. 3: vs. Miami, TBA

• Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern, TBA

• Oct. 24: vs. Virginia Tech, TBA

• Oct. 31: at Florida State, TBA

• Nov. 7: at Syracuse, TBA

• Nov. 14: vs. Georgia Tech, TBA

• Nov. 20: at Duke, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

• Nov. 28: vs. South Carolina, TBA

Sept. 12: vs. Georgia Southern, 7:30 p.m., ACC Network

Sept. 19: vs. North Carolina, noon, ESPN

Sept. 25: at California, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

Oct. 17: vs. Charleston Southern, TBA

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