Clemson football flips JUCO defensive tackle recruit from Big Ten school
Clemson football added a late portal commitment from a defensive tackle who was previously committed to a Big Ten school on Monday
JUCO defensive lineman Andy Burburija has flipped his commitment from Nebraska to the Tigers, according to multiple reports.
Playing at Iowa Western Community College in 2025, Burburija had 45 total tackles, 12 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds and was a JUCO first team All-American this season.
Across two JUCO seasons, he had 78 total tackles (27.5 TFL) and 14 sacks. His team won the junior college national championship in 2025.
Burburija’s had a busy few months on the recruiting trail. He twice committed to schools that lost their head coaches: Washington State before Jimmy Rogers left for Iowa State, and Kansas State before Chris Klieman surprisingly retired.
He’d most recently been committed to Nebraska and Matt Rhule.
Clemson, according to a report from 247Sports’ Chris Hummer, is set to sign Burburija to “what’s believed to be one of the biggest deals for a JUCO player this cycle.” The Tigers have invested heavily at defensive line, where they’re losing their top three players from 2025 (Peter Woods, DeMonte Capehart, Stephiyleen Green).
Burburija is Clemson’s third defensive tackle commit, joining West Georgia’s Kourtney Kelly and Oklahoma’s Markus Strong. After a whirlwhind recruitment that featured commitments to four different schools, the DT says he’s locked in.
“This is home,” he posted on X Monday night.
Clemson football 2025-26 transfer portal
Transfers in (11)
- Penn State DB Elliot Washington II
- Cal LB Luke Ferrelli**
- Old Dominion S Jerome Carter III
- Auburn CB Donovan Starr
- Southern Miss S Corey Myrick
- West Georgia DT Kourtney Kelly
- Oklahoma DT Markus Strong
- Colorado DE London Merritt
- Howard DE CJ Wesley
- SMU RB Chris Johnson Jr.
- Iowa Western DT Andy Burburija
**Reportedly expected to leave Clemson and re-enter transfer portal
Transfers out (12)
- ATH Marquise Henderson (Samford)
- DB Shelton Lewis (Arkansas)
- LB Dee Crayton (UNLV)
- RB Keith Adams Jr. (Georgia State)
- S Khalil Barnes (Georgia)
- LB Jamal Anderson (SMU)
- S Rob Billings (Jacksonville State)
- TE Josh Sapp (West Virginia)
- DT Stephiylan Green (LSU)
- DE Markus Dixon (Oregon)
- S Ricardo Jones (Vanderbilt)
- OL Rowan Byrne (UNC)
This story was originally published January 19, 2026 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Clemson football flips JUCO defensive tackle recruit from Big Ten school."
