Sometimes, keeping it in the family, per se, works out better than expected.
Dabo Swinney loves to recruit legacy players, or, in other words, recruits with family ties to the program. While some may see it as a wasted scholarship, it builds the morale and loyalty of a program. And sometimes, it works out on the field, too.
At the height of Clemson’s reign in the 2010s, JD Davis — a former two-star recruit according to 247Sports — finally realized his dream of playing for the university where his father, Jeff Davis, played. In 2017, he cracked the linebacker rotation, even playing in the 2018 National Championship game against Alabama, recording three tackles.
Davis recorded 112 tackles while at Clemson, with 56 coming solo. He had 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, a pass deflection, and an interception. Of the 50 games he played in a Tigers’ uniform, he started seven, including five in 2017.