After speaking with a priority Clemson target in the 2023 recruiting class, The Clemson Insider has learned that big-time Peach State offensive lineman Zechariah Owens has set up an official visit to Clemson the first week of June.
The news comes after the four-star offensive lineman out of Georgia’s Eagles Landing Christian Academy was back on campus to watch Clemson’s first scrimmage of the spring at Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, March 30.
“It was good,” Owens said regarding the scrimmage. “Every time I go back up there, I just love it.
What did Owens hear from Clemson’s coaching staff while he was back on campus?
“They really weren’t just talking about me being a priority and everything,” he said. “Obviously, they make it known that I am, but the main thing that Coach (Thomas) Austin was saying is that he isn’t going to try to ‘buy me out,’ he was just gonna let the program do it for him. He was gonna just let me watch to see how everything works to see if I would like it and if it fits me.
“Every time they wanna give someone an offer or something and they want to commit, the biggest thing is they want to know why they would commit. Every time I just go there, it’s amazing.”
During Wednesday’s scrimmage, Owens said that he enjoyed watching Jordan McFadden and Bryn Tucker. He likes the way McFadden moves and he likes the way how explosive he is off when he comes off the line, he said.
Owens had a chance to talk with both McFadden and injured junior wide receiver E.J. Williams, who was on the sidelines on crutches during the scrimmage.
“I asked them how they liked Clemson, and they told me that they love the school,” he said. “Everything about the school, they love it there. Obviously, they were telling me, ‘Oh yeah, you should come to Clemson,’ this and this, but I really was asking them about how they liked Coach Thomas Austin. They said they really love him, they really love Coach (Dabo) Swinney. They really love everybody on the staff there. They support you and they take care of you no matter what, good or bad.”
How has Owens’ relationship developed with the coaching staff since he was last on campus?
“It’s just getting stronger every time,” Owens said. “All my coaches in my past have been like a father figure and Coach Austin is one of the closest people, he and Coach (Alex) Atkins at Florida State, are kind of like father figures. That’s what I’m looking for.”
After making visits to each Clemson and Florida State this past week, Owens indicated that the two schools are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in his recruitment.
Right now, he’s still enjoying the recruiting process as much as he can as he takes his visits. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be making a decision soon, he’s just going with the flow.
“You never know,” he said. “Something might change. I don’t know, but I just know one thing. I’ve been to different schools and nothing changed. Nothing has been like Clemson. Nothing is the same from Clemson. Literally, Clemson’s just Clemson.”
When he makes his official visit to Clemson this June, Owens will be accompanied by his whole family, including his older brother, who will get to experience everything with him.
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