This big offensive lineman from the Peach State has seen his recruitment blow up this month.
Gabriel Fortson received his first offer from Georgia Tech on May 2. Between then and May 19, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound rising senior from North Cobb Christian School (Kennesaw, Ga.) racked up 18 more offers, including ACC and SEC offers from North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Missouri.
“It’s been going great, honestly,” Fortson said of the recruiting process in a recent interview with The Clemson Insider. “It all just kind of started happening about two weeks ago, and I started blowing up and then I ended up with 19 offers in two weeks.
“Honestly, it’s just been a blessing. I don’t even have words to explain it.”
Besides those that have already offered, schools such as Vanderbilt and Clemson are showing interest in Fortson.
The class of 2023 prospect has been communicating with Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin, as well as offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter.
“I was first in contact with Clemson around this time last year, but I just didn’t have the film out for them to start talking to me truly and stuff like that,” Fortson said. “And now that I have all the film out and my name started going out a little bit more, they started talking to me a little bit more. Me and Coach Austin have a good relationship going right now.”
What has Fortson been hearing from Austin overall?
“He’s been wanting me to go to camp and he just wants to see me in person and everything,” Fortson said, “and I plan on going to camp on (June) 2.”
“I’m looking forward to it a lot,” he added. “I can’t wait.”
Fortson describes himself as a “really physical” offensive lineman who loves “finishing plays” and posting pancake blocks.
The first-team all-state performer has a simple goal as he gets ready to compete at the Dabo Swinney Camp next week – to show the coaches, he said, “that I can play.”
“Honestly, I just want to show them that I have the ability to play at that level,” he said.
Fortson also participated in the Swinney Camp last summer and came away impressed after his time around Clemson’s coaching staff.
“Honestly, the coaches just treat you like regular people,” he said. “They don’t treat you any higher or any lower, which is something I really like, and it’s really awesome to me to see that.”
Fortson made a couple of game-day visits to Clemson during last season, as well.
“It’s so much fun there on gamedays,” he said. “Like, so much fun.”
Having the chance to actually play for Clemson on gamedays in the future, should he receive an offer from the Tigers moving forward, would be a dream come true for Fortson.
“It would mean a lot, honestly. It truly is one of my dream schools,” he said. “So, to be able to say I have an offer there and have the opportunity to play there would be amazing.”
Added Fortson: “Even after the camp, I saw that it was just a great place to be. It was just such a family environment that you couldn’t help but want to be there, you know.”
In addition to Clemson, Fortson will make his way to Vanderbilt, Georgia, UCF, NC State, East Carolina and North Carolina for camps and/or visits in June.
–Photo courtesy of Gabriel Fortson on Twitter (@Gabriel_5077)
