Last weekend, Clemson played host to one of the nation’s fastest-rising linebacker prospects in the class of 2023.
Varina (Richmond, Va.) three-star linebacker Kaveion Keys made his way to Tiger Town for Clemson’s Orange & White Spring Game last Saturday.
“Man, it was great,” Keys told The Clemson Insider. “I got to meet some Clemson alumni. I got to meet Isaiah Simmons. I also got to meet some of our boys from Virginia — Malcolm Greene — real cool dude. The coaches showed us around campus, the scenery, the history about Clemson, the three national championships and how they’re building other stuff in their facility. It was great.”
What did Keys hear from Clemson’s coaching staff while he was on campus?
“I actually got to meet Coach Swinney,” he said. “He was just telling me that here at Clemson, they really take pride in what they do, on and off the field. Of course, he explained to me that last season wasn’t their best season, but they’re bringing guys in here that they want to bring here so they can win and get to another national championship.”
It was Clemson defensive coordinator Wesley Goodwin, who invited Keys to visit for last Saturday’s spring game. And while it was on short notice and Keys already had other plans, he couldn’t say no to Clemson. Once Clemson called Keys, he said he was already on the trip down to South Carolina.
“It’s going great, I would say,” Keys said regarding his relationship with Goodwin. “I think he’s coming up here to see me work out. He’s coming up here to check me out. I would say we have a good relationship. We talked on the phone last week and he just gave me all the information on Clemson and how he is the new DC there and he brings a lot of energy.
“He’s a real smart guy, that’s what I picked up about him. He knows the game of football. That’s what’s big to me because I want a coach that knows the game, that can put me in a position to succeed.”
While the subject of an offer has been broached, there aren’t too many details to be discussed at the moment. This visit was primarily about getting Keys on campus for the first time, so he can further build his relationship with Goodwin.
According to Keys, one of Clemson’s recruiting coordinators told him that the Tigers really love his film, but they want to see him move in person. Keys really took pride in that and appreciated that level of honesty and Clemson being upfront about its intentions with him.
“They really love me a lot, but they wanted to check me out basically,” he said. ” The coaches told me that they’re really interested in me, but they just want to see me move. I don’t got any problem with that. I like when coaches come and see me because that’s when I perform the best.”
What would a potential Clemson offer mean to Keys?
“That would mean a lot,” Keys said. “Clemson has always been a school that I’ve liked and I can see myself there. A lot of VA people come down to Clemson and shine. Clemson is a big, big school and there’s a lot of history. I would love an offer from Clemson.”
Getting a feel for Keys and his game, he describes himself as a very fast and physical linebacker, who has the versatility, along with the necessary smarts and instincts to make big plays.
After a very successful junior season, Keys picked up offers from schools like Virginia, Virginia Tech, Marshall, Penn State, Wake Forest, East Carolina, Old Dominion, James Madison, Duke, Rutgers, Maryland, Indiana, North Carolina and Boston College, to name a few.
“This is a humbling thing, but it boosts my confidence too because I know I want to be here and I want to be in this moment,” he said. “I want to play college football and go to the league. I’m taking those next steps to try to be the best player I can be. It’s really a great thing for me right now.”
— Photo for this article courtesy of Kaveion Keys
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