Former Clemson RB, dismissed freshman Marquise Henderson enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Former Clemson RB Marquise Henderson has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. On Thursday, the program announced that it had dismissed Henderson.

Henderson is entering his freshman season. He played high school football at Belton-Honea Path (SC), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 161 overall player and No. 11 running back in the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

“Clemson has made the decision to dismiss Marquise Henderson from its program,” a team spokesperson said, per Derrian Carter. “We wish him the best as he moves forward.”

Henderson led Belton-Honea Path to the 2024 state semifinals and had nearly 8,000 total yards across 47 career games. He had 6,369 career rushing yards at the time he signed with Clemson, averaging 11 yards per rush on 577 career carries.

Marquise Henderson was the fourth-highest rated player from Clemson’s 2025 recruiting class. Five-star defensive lineman Amare Adams headlines the incoming freshman class. Adams was the No. 27 overall player in the 2025 recruiting cycle and the top-ranked prospect from South Carolina, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Clemson is hungry to build off an impressive 2024 season, which ended with an ACC title and a College Football Playoff appearance. It was also a breakout year for Cade Klubnik at quarterback. Klubnik is running it back with the Tigers and expected to take another leap forward in the upcoming season.

Klubnik and offensive coordinator Garrett Riley are continuing to develop chemistry as they enter their third season together in head coach Dabo Swinney’s program. Klunik told On3’s Andy Staples he wants to continue to improve, and emphasized that development is a priority as he prepares for the next level.

“I’m kind of the epitome of the word development,” Klubnik said. “When I was coming out of high school, I wanted to go win and go to a great culture. But overall, I wanted to leave that school better than when I got there. I was good my freshman year. I wasn’t very good my sophomore year, but I just stuck with it. And what Clemson has done is develop me. They’ve gotten me better.”

On Aug. 30, Clemson will kick off its 2025 season with a showdown against LSU at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ABC. Obviously, the Tigers will be without Marquise Henderson, who will search for a new home across the college football landscape.