One rising in-state star on Clemson’s recruiting radar is Jayden Bradford, a four-star quarterback from Chapin (S.C.) High School.
Bradford – a 6-foot-2, 180-pound sophomore ranked as the nation’s No. 8 QB in the class of 2024, per 247Sports – was invited to attend the season opener between Clemson and Georgia in Charlotte on Sept. 4 as a guest of the Tigers.
“It was awesome,” Bradford said to The Clemson Insider of witnessing the marquee matchup at Bank of America Stadium. “Being at the first college game day of the year was something I haven’t done before, and watching two of the best teams in the country was really (fun).”
The struggles Clemson’s offense had in the 10-3 loss to Georgia and has had to this point in the season overall are well documented. However, Bradford expects the Tigers to eventually figure things out offensively.
“It seems like they’ve been a bit out of sync this year but I’m sure they’ll get it together when it matters most,” he said. “At the Georgia game it wasn’t just Clemson that couldn’t move the ball, Georgia was also struggling. I think it was just a good performance from both defenses.”
Bradford camped at Clemson when he was a rising eighth grader in 2019 and returned to campus to partake in the Dabo Swinney Camp again this past summer.
Clemson’s staff was impressed by Bradford and saw similarities between him and former Tiger star signal-caller Deshaun Watson. The coaches gave Bradford positive feedback about his camp performance while also pointing out things for him to work on.
“They said they really liked me and reminded them a little of Deshaun with my athleticism and passing efficiency,” Bradford said, “but they also told me I get too narrow with my base and get too much on my toes instead of keeping all my cleats in the ground.”
Bradford says the Tigers have done a great job of staying in touch with him as best they can since he was on campus for the Swinney Camp, and they invited him to their game against Georgia Tech last Saturday.
Although Bradford didn’t make it to the game, he said he “more than likely” will get to Death Valley sometime this season. He went to Penn State for its showdown with Auburn last Saturday and plans to visit South Carolina for its clash with Kentucky this weekend.
Bradford received his latest offer on Sept. 3 from the Gamecocks, who joined NC State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Penn State and Georgia State on his early offer list.
Clemson typically doesn’t start offering prospects until the summer before their junior year, but the Tigers are highly interested in Bradford and would figure to be a major contender for the in-state standout if they extend an offer in the future.
“I think Clemson’s program is great,” he said. “From what I’ve seen and heard, their mission to make every player a better man when they leave Clemson is something different from many programs around college football.”
As a freshman last season, Bradford completed around 62 percent of his passes for 624 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions, while rushing for 70 yards and two more scores. He is the No. 2 prospect in the Palmetto State, No. 8 quarterback nationally and No. 94 overall prospect for the 2024 class according to 247Sports.
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