The Clemson Insider caught up with one of Clemson’s priority offensive line targets who was back in Tiger Town this past weekend.
After visiting Death Valley for the Boston College and Wake Forest games last fall, Belmont (N.C.) South Point four-star offensive tackle Sullivan Absher returned to campus for the Tigers’ second junior day of the year – their “spring elite day” – last Saturday.
“It was a great visit!” Absher told TCI. “It really gave me a new perspective about the Clemson football program. The game-day visits are great, but this time I really got the ‘day in the life’ viewpoint, from going to practice and meetings and classes.”
One part of the junior day experience stood out to Absher in particular – hearing a speech from Clemson head man Dabo Swinney.
“The highlight was probably Coach Swinney’s talk at the end of the day about what Clemson football is built on,” he said.
Absher is one of the first offensive linemen that Thomas Austin offered after taking over for Robbie Caldwell as Clemson’s O-line coach earlier this year. The 6-foot-7, 300-pound prospect in the class of 2023 picked up the offer in February – an offer that he told TCI he “had been working for, for a very long time.”
While on campus for Saturday’s visit, Absher spent most of the day with Austin.
“To be honest, there was no real message,” Absher said of what he heard from Austin. “It was just us conversating like he was already my coach.”
Absher said his bond with Austin “100 percent” grew stronger on Saturday.
“We already had a good relationship, and spending time together (Saturday) only made it better,” he added.
Looking ahead, the lone visit Absher has locked in on his schedule right now is a trip to Notre Dame on April 23, though he will more than likely return to Clemson for its spring game April 9.
Absher gave a timeline for when he’s looking to narrow down his recruitment and make his college decision, saying, “Maybe by June or so (release) a top-four list, and then commit sometime in August or so.”
Along with Clemson, Absher’s offer list includes Notre Dame, North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Tennessee, Kentucky, Penn State, Michigan State, Stanford and others.
Where do the Tigers stand with Absher following Saturday’s visit?
“No matter if I put out a top three, four or five,” he said, “Clemson’s on it.”
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