#87

Christian Bentancur

TE · Clemson · Fr. · #87

Returning to Clemson for 2026
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Christian Bentancur

TE · Clemson · Fr · #87

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★
#74 national
CFB
College
Clemson
2024–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2024Clemson10-4HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced, fast tempo
2025Clemson7-6HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Clemson2021510.83--
2024Clemson177.00--
Career2122210.63--

How he plays

Play style

Shows up in the passing game from any alignment.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Clemson

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Tight end · Clemson

Returning around him

  • 83% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
  • 9 Clemson players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Clemson · Last season: 7-6 (AP #12) · Talent rank #7 · 2026 recruiting class #20

DNA match

Player DNA

Complete TE

No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.

TE

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Blake Whiteheart’s 2021 season.

Wake Forest · 2021

#2

Lawson Luckie

Georgia · 2024

78%
#3

Blake Whiteheart

Wake Forest · 2022

77%
#4

Walker Lyons

USC · 2025

74%
#5

Mason Mini

California · 2025

71%

Matches Blake on

Yards / reception
Reception volume
TD rate

Differs from Blake on

EPA / play (adj) (lower)
Class year (lower)

Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Austin Hence’s path through Western Michigan.

Austin Hence

86%match

Western Michigan · 2023

#2

Shelton Zeon III

UNLV · 2022

75%
#3

Hayden Pittman

UAB · 2021

All-Conference USA
74%
#4

Cade Conley

Western Michigan · 2025

69%
#5

Jeremy Ruckert

Ohio State · 2021

NFL Rd 3 · Pk 37
67%

Matches Austin on

Height
Weight
Yards per reception

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Andrew Rappleyea's sophomore season at Penn State (2025).

Penn State · 2025

#2

Walker Lyons

USC · 2025

79%
#3

Ethan Davis

Tennessee · 2024

77%
#4

Lawson Luckie

Georgia · 2024

73%
#5

Elija Lofton

Miami · 2025

72%

Matches Andrew on

Yards / reception
Total EPA (college ability)
Recruiting rating

Differs from Andrew on

Class year (lower)

Player DNA

Players who play like Christian Bentancur

#1

Austin Hence

Western Michigan · 2023

86%
#2

Hayden Pittman

UAB · 2021

74%
#3

Jeremy Ruckert

Ohio State · 2021

67%

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #959

Final rank
#986
Avg #991.7
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #959 this season.

Development

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2024–2025
7.02024
2152025

+2971%

Up 2971% from first season to most-recent.