Among the standout defensive linemen who had the chance to showcase their talent on the fourth day of the Dabo Swinney Camp on Saturday, June 11 was Champ Thompson — a 6-foot-3, 280-pound four-star rising junior from Norcross (Ga.)’s Meadowcreek High School.
Thomspon, who ranks as the No. 18 defensive lineman and No. 189 overall prospect in the 2024 class, per the 247Sports Composite, reported an offer from Clemson following Saturday’s Swinney Camp.
“It was great, I had a good time,” Thompson told The Clemson Insider regarding his experience at Clemson Saturday. “The crazy thing is, most of the drills that (Nick Eason) did, I do those at my high school with my defensive line coach, Bryant Harrison — the best in the game. A lot of those drills, they just came naturally to me because we do the similar drills that he does.”
It was after he had participated in those drills that Clemson presented him with a scholarship offer.
While Thompson didn’t go into Saturday’s afternoon session expecting an offer, he knew he had met the requirements to earn one. Following a workout with defensive tackles coach Nick Eason at Saturday’s Swinney Camp, it was clear that Thompson had made that case pretty clear.
“When I came in March — when I talked to Dabo — he told me all the requirements for the four-semester transcript, one camp and one visit,” Thompson said. “He was like, ‘You gotta earn the offer.’ That whole time, I’m just like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m finna earn the offer. I’m about to earn this offer.'”
All in all, Thompson feels like he earned it.
It’s not one everyone has either.
“It means a lot,” Thompson said regarding receiving an offer from Clemson. “It lets me know that I got the work ethic and I got the potential and I got what they’re looking for to have on their team.”
Now that he has an offer from Clemson in hand, where do the Tigers currently stand in his recruitment?
“They stand pretty high,” he said.
According to Thompson, Clemson reaffirmed its interest in him and expressed just how much they like him as a person and a player.
“I’m glad that they mentioned academics more than they did football,” Thompson added. “I’m a student first and then I’m an athlete.”
Champ’s father, Michael, is a former NFL player who starred at Tennessee State University before being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL draft.
Blessed and highly favored to receive a offer from the Clemson tigers.@CoachEason1 @_STUDUNIVERSITY @BHarrison92 @coachTWoff @Rivals @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/1SVixftu5g
— Champ Thompson🎯 (@iam_champ7) June 11, 2022
