What Clemson football is getting in transfer Paul Tyson, who is Bear Bryant's great-grandson

Clemson football added quarterback depth on Wednesday's start to the early signing period, but this one came through the transfer portal.

The Tigers added Paul Tyson, a former Alabama backup who went to Arizona State after two seasons with the Crimson Tide. He did not see any action for the Sun Devils but played in five games for the Crimson Tide as a backup to Bryce Young in 2021, completing 10 of 16 passes for 150 yards.

Tyson, from Trussville, Alabama, is the great-grandson of legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant.

Since winning the ACC championship, Clemson replaced starter DJ Uiagalelei with freshman Cade Klubnik, saw Uiagalelei leave the team to enter the portal and had reserve Billy Wiles, put on scholarship after coming to the Tigers as a walk-on, go to Southern Miss.

On Wednesday Clemson also signed four-star freshman quarterback Christopher Vizzina, expected to be the top backup to Klubnik next season. The Tigers' recruiting class of 26 players is top 10 in the country.

Clemson (11-2) plays in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 (8 p.m., ESPN) against Tennessee (10-2) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

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Tyson was considered by recruiting services a top-10 prospect as a pro style quarterback. In high school, he passed for 6,500 yards and 69 touchdowns in 24 games as the starter, going 19-5. His completion percentage of 68.2 ranked second all-time at the 7A level of Alabama high school football.

Before this season, Clemson signed graduate student quarterback Hunter Johnson, who played in two games and was 6-for-6 passing. The Tigers also have sophomore Hunter Helms and freshman Trent Pearman, neither of whom has played this season. Tyson would figure to take Johnson's spot as the veteran, third-string quarterback.

Todd Shanesy covers Clemson athletics for the USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Paul Tyson: Clemson football adds Bear Bryant's great-grandson