Now that spring football has wrapped up and the transfer portal is open, some college players are eyeing a fresh start at a new school.
For athletes like Caleb Nix, that decision might be more necessity than choice.
After three years as a walk-on safety at Clemson, Nix shared on social media that he’s entering the transfer portal and plans to spend his final season elsewhere.
The upside for Nix? He’s set to graduate in May, leaving Clemson with a degree in hand.
He’s also the younger brother of Bo Nix, the former Auburn and Oregon standout who’s now the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.
After thoughtful reflection and prayer, Caleb Nix announced via X (formerly Twitter) that he has officially entered the transfer portal. “Thank you, Clemson, for giving me the opportunity to accomplish a lifelong dream,” he wrote. Nix also shared that he’ll be graduating in May and is looking forward to the next chapter in his football journey.
His departure comes at a time of major change in college football. With revenue sharing and scholarship roster limits on the horizon, walk-on players are becoming a rarity—a trend that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, himself a former walk-on at Alabama, has lamented multiple times over the past year.
Nix, a walk-on safety, saw limited playing time during his Clemson tenure. In 2023, he appeared in seven games, logging one tackle over 21 defensive snaps and earning a spot on the All-ACC Academic Team. He played through a torn ACL during the Appalachian State game and missed the rest of the season. He had redshirted in 2022 after appearing in just one game.
Before joining Clemson, Nix was a standout high school quarterback at Central High in Phenix City, Alabama—just like his older brother Bo Nix, now the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Caleb totaled 5,415 passing yards and 67 touchdowns in his prep career, including 2,897 yards and 38 scores as a senior. He also added 639 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns that year, earning all-state honors and leading Central to the state championship game.
Meanwhile, Clemson is coming off a successful 2024 season, capturing the ACC title and making its first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020. Quarterback Cade Klubnik, a Heisman Trophy contender, returns after a breakout year where he threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns, adding seven rushing scores. The Tigers finished 10-4, ultimately falling to Texas in the opening round of the expanded 12-team playoff. One of the program’s biggest offseason moves was bringing in veteran coach Tom Allen as defensive coordinator, aiming to revitalize a defense that struggled at times last year.
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