As we reported in this week’s edition of The Insider Report, The Clemson Insider has the latest on a Lone Star gunslinger that has received two visits this month from Clemson offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Brandon Streeter, as well as extensive interest from the Tigers.
It’s reasonable to assume that Clemson has since shifted its focus to Willis (Texas) four-star DJ Lagway. Clemson’s quarterback recruiting board has started to take shape, following Dylan Raiola’s verbal commitment to Ohio State last week.
Of course, the Tigers have shown or expressed interest in other 2024 QB prospects like Jadyn Davis, Dante Reno, Daniel Kaelin, James Resar, Jake Merklinger and Michael Van Buren — to name a few — but the attention has begun to point in Lagway’s direction.
We first identified Lagway as a potential target for Clemson dating back to February. Since then, he made a largely anticipated unofficial visit to campus, while Streeter has now made multiple trips to see the Lone Star State gunslinger in the month of May alone.
Lagway last spoke with Streeter this past Thursday.
“He was just telling me how good I did and stuff like that,” Lagway recently told TCI. “I talked to Coach Swinney as well and he was telling me that Coach Streeter had a lot of good things to say about me and how I did.”
“I would say we have a real good relationship,” Lagway added. “I can talk to (Coach Streeter) about a lot of football-related things and just have good conversations about on the field and off-the-field. Being able to have those good relationships with the coaches is real big.”
While no date has been set, Lagway said that he’ll “most definitely” make his way back up to Tiger Town come next month.
“They want me to get up there this summer and camp and stuff like that,” Lagway continued. “Coach Streeter came out to one of my spring practices. He said he was very impressed. I’ve been talking to Coach (Dabo) Swinney a lot, almost two times a week. We talk a lot, me and Coach Swinney.”
The fact that Lagway gets to talk pretty frequently with Clemson’s head coach isn’t something he takes lightly. Lagway told us that he feels like the Tigers have made him a priority in their 2024 recruiting class and that he’s one of their top guys in their class.
“That shows that they’re very interested in me and that they’re very high on my list,” he said, “because the interest level has been there from the beginning. That’s a big part in my recruitment.”
Lagway indicated that a scholarship offer from Clemson could come when he visits campus next month. He’s had those conversations about a potential offer dating back to when he visited last month.
“That was a conversation we had from the very beginning since I got there when I got down there on campus when I went to Coach Swinney’s house,” Lagway said. “It’s just the way they run things, they just want to keep the process smooth and keep the way they’ve been doing things.”
“That would be huge,” he continued. “That would be a blessing to have an offer from Clemson and all that good stuff. It would change a lot with my top five.”
In addition to Clemson, Lagway is looking to visit Oklahoma, Oregon and probably Alabama.
“I’m just trying to go see all the out-of-state schools that I’m interested in,” Lagway said, “just to give them a chance as well. Because, I’m really open to anything and everything, just to see where I feel like I’m at home and where I’m most comfortable.”
Though, the family atmosphere at Clemson resonates with Lagway, as well as the people in the building, who he described as “really genuine.”
“The Christian-based atmosphere, the family atmosphere, it’s real different,” he said. “It’s like real different from the other schools I’ve been to. Just the way they show love is different from all the other schools I’ve been to and just the way they treat people, the way they treat others around them. The way they act around is real big and it’s really different from all the other schools. You can tell it’s genuine and not fake.”
— Photo for this article courtesy of @derek.lagway on Instagram.
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