Walk-On Exodus: Two Tigers Hit the Portal
Clemson saw cornerback-turned-defensive back Michael Mankaka and scout-team quarterback Cade Trotter both enter the transfer portal ahead of the Jan. 2 window. Mankaka, originally an unrecruited walk-on wide receiver who redshirted in 2022 and later switched to defense, logged minimal snaps before deciding to seek playing time elsewhere. Trotter, a designated walk-on QB, never appeared in a game and retains four years of eligibility. Mankaka’s departure even opens up a scholarship spot, boosting Clemson’s available roster slots from 13 to 14 for incoming transfers.
Forgive us if we confuse the Clemson roster with an airport departure board, because every time you blink someone’s sprinting for the exit. Who needs the transfer portal tracker when you’ve got live action right here? Next up: mystery science tours of the locker room as yet another band of Tigers sets out to “find themselves” at a more appreciative destination. We eagerly await who will be the spring’s top flight risk takers in the ever-thrilling “Who’s Under Center?” saga.
Legacy Tight End Josh Sapp Joins the Transfer Party
Josh Sapp, a third-string Clemson tight end and legacy commit whose father Patrick starred as a linebacker in the ’90s, entered the transfer portal on Thursday. After redshirting in 2022 and serving as a red-zone backup in 2023, Sapp showed steady progress—finishing 2023 with seven catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns, then posting 11 receptions for 150 yards in 2024. Despite that improvement, he remained deep on the depth chart behind Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur and opted to look for a bigger role elsewhere.
Ah, the well-worn path of the legacy athlete: follow dad’s footsteps, shine under dad’s spotlight, then sprint headlong into the transfer portal before you can say “dynasty.” Sapp’s journey through the Tigers’ tight end carousel proves that progression charts are just polite suggestions, and red-zone potential is apparently no guarantee of actual playing time. Tune in next season for “Sapp: The Sequel,” where our hero seeks greener grids and fewer fellow tight ends to block his view.
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