Volunteer State LB: Playing for Clemson’s defense ‘would be an honor’

A talented and versatile outside linebacker from the Volunteer State on Clemson’s recruiting radar is Edwin Spillman, a prospect in the class of 2024 with several early scholarship offers under his belt. Spillman attends Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, …

A talented and versatile outside linebacker from the Volunteer State on Clemson’s recruiting radar is Edwin Spillman, a prospect in the class of 2024 with several early scholarship offers under his belt.

Spillman attends Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.), where he is coached by former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer and deployed in different ways on the team’s defense.

“I play a little bit of edge, linebacker and then sometimes a little bit of coverage also,” Spillman said.

A 6-foot-2, 207-pound sophomore, Spillman traveled to Clemson this past June to take part in the Dabo Swinney Camp and made a good impression while working out with defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brent Venables.

“[Venables liked] that I was aggressive,” Spillman said, “and just liked my way to use what I was taught and apply it to the game.”

Venables and Clemson also left a strong impression on Spillman, who came away from the visit impressed by a variety of things including the number of former Tigers on Swinney’s coaching staff.

“I really enjoyed the facility and also liked the family aspect about it and how players from previous years come back and coach and everything. I really enjoyed that,” Spillman said.

“I really like Coach (Venables),” Spillman added. “He seems like a great man and a great coach, a real smart coach.”

While Clemson typically doesn’t start extending offers to prospects until the summer before their junior year, a bunch of other programs have already pulled the trigger on offering Spillman, including Ohio State, Georgia, Tennessee, NC State and Boston College.

“I’m just a linebacker who can pretty much do anything – that can rush, play coverage, be physical and everything,” Spillman said of what his college suitors like about his game.

Spillman visited Ohio State for its game vs. Akron this past Saturday and attended Notre Dame’s home game against Purdue the weekend before last. Georgia and Tennessee are a couple of the other schools that he wants to see games at this season.

According to Spillman, Clemson wants to get him back on campus for a game, and he said he plans to make it to Death Valley at some point but is still trying to figure out a date that works with his schedule and the Tigers’ schedule.

While Spillman doesn’t know just yet when he will return to Tiger Town, what he does know is that an offer from Clemson and the chance to line up for the Tigers on defense down the road would be a big deal to him.

“It’d be a real cool offer to get,” he said. “I really enjoyed the program and everything. It would be an honor to go play for their defense. I think their defense is real good and a physical team that I really enjoy.”

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