A fast-rising linebacker prospect is drawing interest from Clemson and just might be making his way back up to Death Valley sometime soon.
Denver (N.C.) East Lincoln linebacker Ben Cutter was in attendance as an unofficial visitor for Clemson’s 49-3 victory over S.C. State on Saturday, Sept. 11, and the class of 2023 recruit was blown away by his game-day experience on campus.
“It was really great, ” Cutter told The Clemson Insider. “Definitely one of the better experiences of the colleges I have been to so far. Got a tour and everything’s really nice at Clemson. I really enjoyed my time there.”
Following Clemson’s 49-3 win over S.C. State on Saturday, Sept. 11, Cutter had a chance to speak with coach Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brent Venables in the locker room.
“Coach Venables talked to me and said that he really likes the way I play and he wanted me to get back for another game and start building that relationship with him, so the recruiting process can start going,” he said.
Cutter is planning on getting back down to The Valley for a game this season and while he has three games to pick from, he isn’t sure when he’ll be making his return just yet.
Obviously, Cutter is aware of what Clemson and specifically Venables have been able to develop/produce at the linebacker position. With that being said, what does it mean to Cutter that he’s on Clemson’s radar and that they’re clearly showing interest?
“It’s pretty crazy, just all this blowing up since Sept. 1,” Cutter said. “It’s been pretty chaotic, but it’s really cool that a big school like Clemson is talking to me. It’s a great feeling.”
Prior to Sept. 1, Cutter had camped at the Dabo Swinney Camp this past summer and
“This past offseason was the first time that I talked to Coach Venables after the camp,” he added. “He got me to send him my film. Then, [safeties] coach [Mickey] Conn got on the phone with me before the Clemson-Georgia game and invited me there.”
Cutter indicated that he certainly feels there’s mutual interest there.
Circling back to Cutter’s game day experience in Clemson, what would he say was the highlight of the whole ordeal?
“Definitely going into the locker room,” he said. “It was a cool experience getting to see everybody, like all the players after the game, getting all excited and dancing around. It was pretty cool.”
Getting to take game visits in the first place is a product of Cutter being on the rise as a national prospect. He holds offers from App State, Coastal Carolina and ECU, but his recruitment has just begun to take off. Cutter accredits that to being able to show what he was made of on the camp circuit this past summer.
“Just being able to show my speed, athleticism, things that are [necessary] for a linebacker,” Cutter said. “You can show speed on film, but not as well as you can at the camps. I think there’s a lot of things that colleges really look for, but just being able to see in me and person and just see my size and stuff like that.”
In addition to Clemson and the schools mentioned above, Cutter has been on game day visits to UNC, West Virginia, Duke and he’ll be going to Wake Forest on Saturday, Oct. 30.
This process has taken off for Cutter in just under six months. What does that mean to him?
“It’s really exciting and it’s a privilege to be able to hear from some of these bigger schools,” he said. “It’s really a dream come true to even be able to be where I am right now, but there’s always more to work for.”
For Cutter, it’s “relieving” that his hard work has begun to pay off and that schools have been able to take notice.
📍Clemson pic.twitter.com/37Rwi31BgN
— Ben Cutter (@BenCutter28) September 13, 2021
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