Clemson Tigers Lose High-Upside Transfer Defender to ACC Foe Georgia Tech

The Clemson Tigers have lost one of their defensive players to an ACC opponent in the transfer portal.

Dec 7, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; DUPLICATE***Southern Methodist Mustangs running back Brashard Smith (1) runs against Clemson Tigers defensive end A.J. Hoffler (99) during the first quarter in the 2024 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Clemson Tigers have lost another player to the NCAA transfer portal.

This time, they saw defensive end AJ Hoffler opt to leave the program.

Hoffler entered the transfer portal just over a week ago, and it did not take him long to find his new team.

According to a report from Hayes Fawcett of On3, he has opted to transfer to ACC opponent Georgia Tech.

During the 2025 season, Hoffler will have a chance to play against his old team. The Tigers are scheduled to hit the road for a matchup against the Yellow Jackets.

After finishing his second season with Clemson, it was clear that Hoffler wanted a bigger role. He played very sparingly throughout both his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Tigers.

In 2024, he ended up recording just 12 total tackles.

When he originally committed to Clemson in the 2023 recruiting class, Hoffler was a four-star prospect. He was ranked as the No. 29 EDGE in the nation and No. 289 overall.

At that point in time, the Tigers felt Hoffler could develop into being a major star on their defense.

That has not ended up being the case.

Now, he'll look to do that elsewhere, find a starting role, and have a better chance at showing off his full potential.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Hoffler has the size, athleticism, and talent to become a special player.

Perhaps, he'll be able to realize his full potential with the Yellow Jackets.

Hopefully, this doesn't end up coming back to haunt Clemson.