Clemson adds two QBs on signing day, including a grad transfer

Clemson football added to its quarterback depth Wednesday by signing transfer Paul Tyson.

Tyson, a former Alabama and Arizona State quarterback, was confirmed as joining the Tigers on Wednesday morning. Clemson also signed four-star high school prospect Christopher Vizzina during the December early signing period.

Tyson, Clemson’s first transfer acquisition of the 2023 recruiting cycle, is a former four-star 2019 recruit and the great grandson of legendary Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.

Clemson’s pursuit of Tyson, who will have one remaining year of eligibility as a graduate transfer, was a logical development for a program short on quarterbacks.

He’s expected to compete in 2023 behind returning starter Cade Klubnik. The Tigers will also have QBs Vizzina, Hunter Helms and Trent Pearman on their roster.

Vizzina, hailing from Birmingham’s Briarwood Christian School, arrives at Clemson next month as the No. 6 quarterback nationally and No. 39 overall recruit in the Class of 2023. He’s also one of the top players in the Tigers’ 25-man signing class, which ranks 12th in the country nationally per 247Sports.

Tyson was a four-star recruit coming out of Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama, and had offers Kentucky, LSU, Notre Dame and Michigan. He originally signed with the Crimson Tide before opting to transfer to Arizona State.

The No. 12 pro-style quarterback in his class per 247Sports, Tyson entered the transfer portal in January 2022. He committed to Arizona State and entered the fall in contention for the Sun Devils’ starting quarterback job.

Tyson lost out to Florida transfer Emory Jones and also sat behind Trenton Bourguet when Jones was injured. He appeared in the season opener, recording no statistics against FCS Northern Arizona, and transferred after the season.

Tyson, who’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, used his one-time waiver for immediate eligibility in going from Alabama to Arizona State but maintains immediate eligibility at Clemson since he’s a grad transfer.

He visited a Clemson practice ahead of the Orange Bowl last week.