Clemson is seeking a waiver to grant defensive lineman DeMonte Capehart an additional year of eligibility. Capehart, a 2020 recruit, has applied for a sixth year, thanks to the free year given to players during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he’s eligible for the NFL Draft, head coach Dabo Swinney stated that Capehart is still enrolled at Clemson and is preparing for the 2025 season. The Tigers hope to hear good news soon, as Capehart has until February 6th to decide whether to declare for the draft.
A former highly regarded recruit from South Carolina, Capehart has not yet lived up to the high expectations at the college level. Over his career, he has accumulated 51 tackles (11 for loss) and 2 sacks in 45 games. His playing time has varied, with limited snaps as a freshman and redshirt freshman before seeing more action in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, he was expected to have a breakout year but suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss three games. Despite this, he recorded 27 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and no sacks in 11 appearances.
Keeping Capehart in the lineup for 2025 would be a boost for a Clemson team looking to improve its run defense after struggles in 2024.
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