Note: The following appears in the Virginia football gameday program.
Head Coach Dabo Swinney has produced incredible talent at the tight end position during his time at Clemson. Consider Jordan Leggett (2013-16), a two-time finalist for the John Mackey Award, two-time All-American and 2016 national champion. Dwayne Allen (2009-11) won the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end in 2011, becoming the first Clemson offensive player to win an award on the national level. Other notable tight ends developed by Swinney include Michael Palmer (2006-09), Brandon Ford (2009-12) and Davis Allen (2019-22).
Jake Briningstool is no exception to Swinney’s tight end list and will certainly find his name among the aforementioned Tiger greats by the end of his final season. A talented downfield weapon, Briningstool became the fifth tight end in school history to reach 1,000 career receiving yards. His 50 receptions in 2023 tied the single-season record set by Allen in 2011, and his 126 receiving yards at Miami (Fla.) in 2023 were the most by a Clemson tight end in school history, surpassing the previous record of 122 receiving yards set by Leggett in 2016.
Hailing from Brentwood, Tenn., Briningstool was a highly recruited prospect through high school, receiving offers from elite programs such as Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State and Tennessee. Despite having a connection to Michigan State (his father was a linebacker for the Spartans), he elected to head south and spend his college career in Tigertown.
“It was a busy recruiting process. I had a lot of offers and took a lot of visits. It was the culture at Clemson, the family atmosphere and the holistic approach to developing men that ultimately convinced me to commit here.”
From P.A.W. Journey to numerous microinternships, Clemson is committed to developing its players beyond the gridiron. Noting this holistic approach to player development, Briningstool remarked that he has not only seen himself improve as a player, but also in every other way. During his first three years as a Tiger, he completed two spring-semester microinternships and was a two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member.
“During my career, I’ve developed a lot as a man, a leader, a teammate and a football player. It’s been a total change for me since I’ve been here.”
Following his noteworthy 2023 season, which was his first as a full-time starter, Briningstool assuredly could have found a spot on an NFL roster. Deciding to stay for his senior season was an easy decision, however, as he believes both himself and the team have more to accomplish.
“I had the opportunity to go to the NFL last year, but I decided to come back and finish the way we want to. Last year, a few of my teammates and I got together and decided that coming back is what we’re going to do. We’ve started out strong this year, and our goal is to keep that going.”
Start out strong he has, combining with wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. against App State to become the first Tiger duo since Cornell Powell and Amari Rodgers in 2020 with 100 receiving yards apiece. Along with reaching the previously mentioned 1,000 career receiving-yardage mark, his touchdown catch at Wake Forest was the 14th of his career and puts him in second place for career touchdowns by a Tiger tight end, trailing only Leggett, who holds the record (18).
Besides leading the team on the field and under the lights, Briningstool also sees the necessity of leading in the locker room and assisting with the growth of his younger teammates. Learning from and leaning on both those before him and those currently beside him, Briningstool aims to put all he can into being a locker room presence.
“Phil Mafah has been a really good leader for the team. R.J. Mickens, Barrett Carter, Tristan Leigh…all those guys are people I’ve looked up to, grown besides and now lead beside. In terms of my whole career, the guy I looked up to the most was Davis Allen. He showed me the way my freshman and sophomore year. I’ve taken what I learned from him and his leadership style and put my own twist on it so that I can do the same thing with the younger guys now.
“Starting with my position, I want to lead the audience on a daily basis. We have a talented tight end room with a lot of good players, so I’m trying to be that senior leader. I’m the older guy who has played a lot of snaps and has a lot of experience, so I want to share what I know and have learned over the course of my career to help them.”
With championship hopes brewing for the Tigers, Briningstool has the chance to cement his legacy as one of the greatest tight ends in program history. Although a future NFL career is in his future, he keeps his view on the season at hand, continuing to be the best player and teammate he can be.
“It’s been cool to leave an imprint on the tight end position here at Clemson. I’m going to keep doing what I do, do my thing at a high level and help out everyone else around me.”
