He can make the grade (5)

I believe the answer is:

edgar

'he' is the definition.

'make the grade' is the wordplay.
'make' indicates anagramming the letters.
'grade' anagrammed gives 'EDGAR'.

'can' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for edgar that I've seen before include "... Allan Poe, author" , "10th-cent. English king" , "10th-century king" , "character in King Lear" , "King of England" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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