Clemson football needs a center from the transfer portal. Here are the three best options

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney has been reluctant to dive into the transfer pool, but things have changed.

The Tigers need to make a splash.

Both players projected as starting center options are out. Hunter Rayburn, it was learned two weeks ago, has a career-ending neck injury. Mason Trotter, it was announced Wednesday at the start of spring practice, will miss most if not all of the season for personal, non-injury reasons.

Swinney is “actively pursuing” a center from the portal before the May 1 deadline. He anticipates more players becoming available, and that could certainly be the case, especially after the announcement of his situation. He also said the Tigers have their eyes on a few players. It could be these:

Brian Greene (Washington State)

Size: 6-foot-3, 300 pounds

Years remaining: 1

Hometown: Yakima, Wash.

What to know: Swinney loves this kind of guy. Greene signed with Washington State as a walk-on and not only became an All-PAC 12 player but was on a watch list for the Rimington Trophy given to the best center in the country. He also works with a group that raises money for special needs children. Greene will graduate in May but has one year of eligibility remaining because of the COVID-related redshirts in 2020. He didn’t enter the portal until last month but already has received strong interest from at least two ACC teams, Virginia and Syracuse.

Rafiti Ghirmai (Texas)

Size: 6-5, 296

Years remaining: 2

Hometown: Wakeland, Texas

What to know: Ghirmai played in 10 games for Texas in 2020 as the backup center but did not play last season after new offensive line coach Kyle Flood went with a redshirt freshman behind the starter instead. Ghirmai was an original four-star recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings and turned down offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU and Georgia. He would be a veteran presence, having spent four years at Texas, including a redshirt freshman season in 2018. As a bonus, he was also All-Academic Big 12.

Cole Spencer (Western Kentucky)

Size: 6-4, 300

Years remaining: 1

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky

What to know: Spencer played left tackle for Western Kentucky but has been projected as an NFL center. Coming to Clemson would make a lot of sense for him if that is the case. Spencer, first-team All-Conference USA, was an elite pass-protector at the Group of Five level and would benefit from being in the middle of an offensive line in the Power Five. He comes from an athletic family. Both of his parents played tennis at Louisville and his aunt played basketball on a Final Four team at Western Kentucky.

Todd Shanesy of the Spartanburg (S.C.) Herald-Journal covers Clemson athletics for the USA TODAY network.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football needs center from portal; who are the best options?