Clemson Tigers Still in Play for Talented Four-Star Defensive End

A four-star defensive end in the 2026 class is still in contact with the Clemson Tigers.

Oct 23, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney reacts on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers have been very active on the recruiting trail in recent weeks. Dabo Swinney is working hard to fill out his 2026 recruiting class.

After another top-five national finish in the recruiting rankings for 2025, Clemson is trying to replicate that success for 2026. They're finding some good reviews from recruits and appear to have the makings of what could be a special class.

One name that has been of interest for the Tigers is four-star defensive end Zavion Griffin-Haynes.

Hailing from Rolesville, North Carolina, Griffin-Haynes has been a very popular recruit for many schools. He has received many other offers, with a few of the main teams being Florida State, Auburn, and Penn State.

Despite all of the interest from other schools, Griffin-Haynes has been staying in touch with Clemson coaches. Specifically, he has remained in contact with defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin and defensive ends coach Chris Rumph.

Griffin-Haynes opened up about his communication in a recent interview.

“I’ve mainly been chatting it up with Coach Rumph and Coach Goodwin. They love me, can’t wait to get things started with those guys and think I can play a big role in their program.”

He then spoke out about a potential offer coming his way. If his prediction is right, Clemson will be sending an offer his way in the near future.

“They’re looking forward to offering me soon. They would’ve offered me during camp season but I didn’t have the chance to come up. Definitely a top school.”

247 Sports currently has Griffin-Haynes ranked as the No. 11 edge rusher in the nation. He has put together an impressive high school career thus far and looks the part of a potential impact pass-rusher at the college level.

While no offer has been made yet, it sounds like Swinney and the coaching staff are very high on the young defensive end. An offer could be on its way.

Expect to hear more about Griffin-Haynes in the future. He seems to have interest in playing for Clemson and it will be interesting to see if the two sides end up coming together in 2026.