Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney just opened fall camp with some serious praise, singling out his tight end room as the group he’s “particularly excited about” for the 2026 season. That’s a bold statement, considering the Tigers are rolling into the year ranked No. 23 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. They’re gonna need impact players to make some noise, and Swinney clearly thinks this unit is ready to deliver.
The Star Power and the Freshman Phenom
This tight end room isn’t just full, it’s loaded with talent. You’ve got returning players like Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur, who both saw significant action last season. Patt-Henry, who suffered a right knee injury late in 2025 and only returned in July, is a physical blocker and a good route-runner. He snagged 16 passes for 126 yards in nine games a season ago. Bentancur led the tight ends last year with 20 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in his nine games. Swinney straight up said, “Bentancur, there really ain’t much he can’t do,” and expects him to take another big step.
Then there’s the three-star freshman, Tayveon Wilson. Swinney sounds like he’s been recruiting Wilson forever, and now the 6-foot-1, 210-pound West Virginia native is finally in camp. Swinney’s hype for Wilson is palpable, calling him a kid who’s been “the best” at everything he’s done, from basketball to track. That kind of multi-sport athleticism is exactly what you want to see developing at a tough position like tight end.
Don’t Sleep On Charlie Johnson
But here’s where it gets interesting, because Swinney dropped a name nobody in the media seems to know: Charlie Johnson. This graduate senior from Columbia is a former walk-on, and Swinney believes he’s being totally overlooked on the depth chart. “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.’” Well, Johnson toughened up, beefed up to 235 pounds, and Swinney’s not just throwing him in as an afterthought. He truly believes Johnson, Ellis Johnson’s son, “has a chance” to be a good player in that room, alongside the high-profile guys.
This tight end group, led by Patt-Henry, Bentancur, and Wilson, with Johnson as the dark horse, is “ready to go compete” according to Swinney. He’s counting on them, saying it’s “a room we’re going to need.” Clemson kicks off their season on September 5th on the road against LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET. You better believe Dabo will be looking to unleash these tight ends right out of the gate.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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