Tag: AJ Hoffler

Clemson commit ‘felt a part of the team’ during first game visit to Death Valley

This Clemson commit plans on being at just about every home game this season. After attending Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman this past Saturday at Memorial Stadium, College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star defensive end A.J. Hoffler recapped …

This Clemson commit plans on being at just about every home game this season.

After attending Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman this past Saturday at Memorial Stadium, College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star defensive end A.J. Hoffler recapped his latest experience on campus for what was his first-ever home game in The Valley.

“It was really cool,” Hoffler told The Clemson Insider regarding his Clemson gameday experience. “I’ve seen videos of it, but it wasn’t like anything I’ve seen on video because I was actually there in person. It was my first time getting to see all of it and seeing how the fans are in person and all the chants. It was a really good experience.”

“They let us get on the hill right next to the players,” Hoffler added.  “It felt like I was about to run down the hill. I was real excited. I wish I could’ve, but I’ll get my chance soon.”

Hoffler has been to two Clemson games in five days. He was in attendance for the Tigers’ 41-10 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Monday, Sept. 5.

“That was real cool,” Hoffler said. “That was technically the first Clesmon game I’ve ever been to, even though it wasn’t a home game, that was my first time getting to see them play in person. It was really cool, especially because they beat Georgia Tech pretty good. I was cheering along with all the fans. It was fun.”

Was there anything that stood out to him about the way Clemson’s defensive line played as a whole?

“It was more so the last game when I saw that,” he said. “(Furman) was running a weird (offense) — so they really didn’t get to do just straight-up pass rushes. It wasn’t as much of that this week, I don’t think, as there was last week, but out of the two weeks, I was really impressed with the energy from the d-tackles and how much they were moving around. I was real impressed with the d-line and Coach (Wesley) Goodwin. I think Coach (Nick) Eason calls the d-line stunts, but I was real impressed with all of that.”

After Clemson’s 23-point win over Furman this past Saturday, Hoffler had a chance to be in the locker room postgame. He got a chance to see Clemson coach Dabo Swinney speak to his team after the game, as well as the dancing that went on postgame.

“I felt a part of the team,” Hoffler said. “I was right in there with all of them.”

That’s something Clemson has done a good job of in recruiting Hoffler. As much as Clemson can do within the NCAA rules, the Tigers have made Hoffler feel like he’s already a part of the team. Especially when considering that most of the current players on the roster already have an idea who the standout Peach State edge rusher is.

While the coaching staff was happy to see Hoffler back in The Valley Saturday, defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall was in attendance for his Woodward Academy team’s 28-21 win over Marist (Atlanta) on Friday. After a performance in which, according to Hoffler, he recorded three sacks and five tackles (one for loss), it should be noted that the coaching staff can’t wait to get him on campus.

“He was really pleased with my game and he just showed me one thing that I could work on,” Hoffler said.

According to Hoffler, he’s recorded between four or five sacks through the first three games of his senior season. While he admitted that he could have more sacks, he acknowledged that he just needs to clean up some technical things that’ll help him once he gets to college.

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Friday Night Lights: Future Tigers shine with strong performances

A good chunk of Clemson’s class of 2023 commits played in their second game(s) of the season on Friday night. Briarwood Christian (Alabama) School five-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Westlake (Georgia) four-star cornerback Avieon Terrell and …

A good chunk of Clemson’s class of 2023 commits played in their second game(s) of the season on Friday night.

Briarwood Christian (Alabama) School five-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Westlake (Georgia) four-star cornerback Avieon Terrell and Woodward Academy (Georgia) four-star defensive end AJ Hoffler led the way with dominant performances.

In Briarwood’s 23-21 win over Spain Park (Alabama), Vizzina led a last-second come-from-behind victory. The senior quarterback led a 68-yard drive with less than a minute remaining and threw an 8-yard touchdown on an untimed down to win the game.

Vizzina finished the contest totaling 358 yards from scrimmage with three total touchdowns (two running, one passing). Vizzina went 22-of-32 passing for 260 yards while adding another 98 yards on the ground.

For Terrell, the four-star cornerback commit showed off his talent in all three phases of the game. In Westlake’s 47-7 win over Crisp County High (Cordele, Ga.), Terell returned a punt for a touchdown and had three returns of 25-yards or more.

While Woodward Academy lost 17-13 in a neutral non-conference against McCallie High (Chatanooga, Tenn.), Hoffler unofficially recorded two sacks, two tackles (one for loss) and a forced fumble.

Here are other scores from games involving Clemson commits this weekend:

TE Olsen Patt Henry, First Baptist Academy (Florida): 43-0 win vs. Neumann (Florida)

OL Zechariah Owens, Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (Georgia): 37-14 loss vs. Blessed Trinity (Georgia)— DID NOT PLAY (injury)

OL Harris Sewell, Permian (Texas): 17-3 win vs. Abilene (Texas)

OL Ian Reed, Vandegrift (Texas): 23-20 loss vs. Dripping Springs (Texas)

DL Stephiylan Green, Rome (Georgia): 49-0 win vs. Lithonia (Georgia) 

LB Dee Crayton, Denmark (Georgia): 17-15 win vs. Cambridge (Georgia)

LB Jamal Anderson, Mill Creek (Georgia): 49-17 win vs. Norcross (Georgia)

CB Branden Strozier, St. Francis (Georgia): 21-17 win vs. Landmark Christian (Georgia)

CB Shelton Lewis, Stockbridge (Georgia): 29-0 loss vs. Colquitt County (Georgia)

S Robert Billings, Milton (Georgia): 41-27 loss vs. Christian Brothers (Missouri)

S Kylen Webb, Sumner (Florida): 42-32 win vs. Bloomingdale (Florida) — DID NOT PLAY (injury)

* Thompson (Alabama) High’s Peter Woods and St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) High’s David Ojiegbe both play Saturday, Aug. 20.

* Rockwall (Texas) four-star WR Noble Johnson, Buckingham Browne & Nichols (Massaschusttes) four-star WR Ronan Hanafin, Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania) three-star TE Markus Dixon and Warner Robins (Georgia) four-star DL Vic Burley were all not in action Friday.

— Stats will be updated as they come in.

Clemson football 2023 recruiting class tracker

Clemson football is on a recruiting tear. Check out the Tigers 2023 class so far.

Updated 8/9

We are in full swing with the 2023 recruiting cycle, with this past month being a busy one for Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program.

There have been ups and downs during the process, but the Tigers have had a great start in the 23′ class. Though the team has dealt with decommitments from four-star wide receiver Nathanial Joseph and three-star tight end Reid Mikeska, Clemson still ranks among the top of 247Sports 2023 recruit team rankings.

According to the 247Sports rankings, Friday’s addition of five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods has pushed Clemson up to the No.3 ranked class in the country with eleven commits and 260.28 total points.

Swinney and the Tigers are one of the hottest teams on the recruiting trail right now after snagging Woods from his home state and power house program, Alabama.

Here is a look at the Tigers’ current 2023 class with their 247Sports composite ranking:

Clemson commits react to their official offers from the Tigers

August 1 marks the day that colleges around the nation start doling out official offers to prospects. Clemson is of course among the schools that have been sending out official offers to their commits and targets in the class of 2023, and many of …

August 1 marks the day that colleges around the nation start doling out official offers to prospects.

Clemson is of course among the schools that have been sending out official offers to their commits and targets in the class of 2023, and many of the Tigers’ pledges have been announcing and reacting to their official offers on social media.

Here’s a look at official offer announcements from future Tigers:

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4-star commit Hoffler goes in-depth on All In Cookout experience

The premier event on Clemson’s summer recruiting calendar arrived Monday. After having an offcial visit weekend that led to a parade of commitments earlier this summer, Clemson held its annual All In Cookout on Monday. Clemson’s commitments …

 The premier event on Clemson’s summer recruiting calendar arrived Monday. 

After having an offcial visit weekend that led to a parade of commitments earlier this summer, Clemson held its annual All In Cookout on Monday. Clemson’s commitments comprised the vast majority of cookout attendees, including AJ Hoffler, the four-star defensive end out of Atlanta’s (Ga.) Woodward Academy. 

TCI caught up with Hoffler Monday night on his drive back from the Cookout.

Hoffler said this time around had nothing to do with recruiting, especially when considering that 16 of 18 of those in attendance were already committed to Clemson. Archbishop Wood High School (Warminster, Pa.) three-star tight end Markus Dixon was the only commit who didn’t attend.

“It was real fun,” Hoffler said. “We have a real good relationship. All of us, we’re all really close already. It was just good to see everyone in person since the (official visit weekend). Half the people that were on the OV committed, so it was good to see them in person because like I said, we’re all really close. It was like hanging out with your friends. I enjoyed it a bunch. I’m sure all the other guys did as well.”

Even though Hoffler later bragged about beating his coaches in dodgeball on Twitter, he raved about the Wiffle Ball home run derby in his conversation with TCI.

The recruits were split up into four teams and the winner of that competition matched up against Clemson’s coaching staff. Hoffler was on a team that included Stephiylan Green, Avieon Terrell and Shelton Lewis. His team went the furthest.

“Vic Burley called me out because I beat him before to get my team into the final round against the coaches,” Hoffler said. “It was fun to compete and I guess just spending time with the guys was probably my favorite thing.”

Hoffler was accompanied by his parents on this latest visit, but he drove separately from them.  He arrived at Clemson’s Lakeside Lodge on Sunday, which allowed him to spend some time with his future teammates like Christopher Vizzina, Peter Woods and Olsen Patt Henry.

While Hoffler said that this visit wasn’t directly related to recruiting, that only applied to the 16 commits who were on campus. Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) four-star safety Robert Billings and Stockbridge (Ga.) three-star cornerback Shelton Lewis were the two uncommitted prospects at Monday’s Cookout. 

Hoffler revealed that North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.) four-star defensive lineman Kayden McDonald was supposed to be in attendance, as there were several things with his name on it, but he was unable to make the trip up to Tiger Town.

As a Georgia native himself, Hoffler was trying to get a couple of more Peach State products to join the class.

“I was just telling them, ‘I don’t know what other schools you’re looking at, but I guarantee it’s nothing they have that Clemson doesn’t,” Hoffler said regarding his message to the uncommitted prospects. “I was just selling them on the school and stuff.”

Hoffler has gone through that process several times, so it was nice for him to be able to relax and not have to worry about being sold on Clemson. 

“I didn’t have to think about where I’m going to go,” he said. “I know that’s where I’m gonna be. I’m getting more comfortable being there, remembering more people’s names and faces. I was just getting more comfortable with where I’m gonna be for the next couple of years and not have to worry about much.”

— Photo for this article courtsey of AJ Hoffler.

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Priority Clemson defensive lineman target sets commitment date

Clemson is a finalist for a priority four-star defensive lineman prospect.

Clemson could add another massive defensive line recruit to its 2023 class next week.

Four-star defensive lineman Hunter Osborne took to Twitter on Monday to announce that he will be announcing his commitment on August 1 at 6 p.m. CDT at Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Ala.

He will choose between his four finalists: Alabama, Clemson, Tennessee and Texas.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Osborne is the No. 17 defensive line prospect in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

As a junior in 2021, he recorded 60 total tackles (10 for loss), 5.5 sacks and nine pass breakups.

Osborne last visited Clemson on June 3 and has since visited the other three finalists.

If he does commit to Clemson, he would be the sixth defensive lineman commit alongside four-star Vic Burley, four-star Stephiylan Green, four-star AJ Hoffler, four-star David Ojiegbe and five-star Peter Woods.

While Osborne’s interest in Clemson is significant, On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Alabama over a 90 percent chance to land him. 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong also recently crystal balled Osborne to the Crimson Tide.

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Coveted 4-star Georgia linebacker updates Clemson interest after competing in Swinney Camp

A coveted linebacker prospect from the Peach State participated in Day 1 of the Dabo Swinney Camp on Wednesday, June 1. Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star linebacker Andrew Hines III – a 6-foot-1, 215-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 …

A coveted linebacker prospect from the Peach State participated in Day 1 of the Dabo Swinney Camp on Wednesday, June 1.

Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star linebacker Andrew Hines III — a  6-foot-1, 215-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 — had a great time while competing at the camp and working with the Tigers’ coaching staff.

Hines was invited to participate in the afternoon session of Swinney Camp. After camp, Hines had the chance to walk around a bit and received a campus tour. He also had the chance to watch film with Clemson’s coaching staff and chopped it up with Wesley Goodwin and Stephone Anthony.

“We talked about what they’re looking for in a linebacker,” Hines recalled in a phone interview with The Clemson Insider Saturday. “(Coach Goodwin) told me that the (class of 2024) linebacker group, he’s moving really slow with that. So, he said probably by my junior year, I should hear something.”

Hines was appreciative that Goodwin was forthright about how Clemson is currently handling doling out offers to the class of 2024. It genuinely made Hines feel better because he was under the impression that he could’ve done more during the camp.

Clesmon has only offered two linebackers from Hines’ class — Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown and Our Lady Good Counsel HS (Onley, MD.) four-star Aaron Chiles. At the moment, less than 30 rising junior prospects currently hold offers from the Tigers.

“It makes me feel better knowing that he is going to sometime in the future pull the trigger,” Hines said.

If/when Clemson pulls the trigger on a potential scholarship offer, what would that mean for Hines and his recruitment?

“I have to look at all the options that I have, but Clemson would definitely be up there,” he said.

And while Hines would love to have an offer in hand, he understands that patience is a virtue. His teammate at Woodward, four-star defensive end AJ Hoffler, committed to Clemson earlier this summer. Hoffler didn’t receive an offer from the Tigers until March of his junior year.

“It does show that if you’re patient, things will come later because everyone blows up at a different time,” Hines said. “Some people get the offer earlier than others. Some people get the offer later than others. You just got to be patient and wait not until the very end, but you want to wait a little bit to see all (the offers) you can get.”

Speaking of offers, this past spring was significant for Hines and his recruitment. Dating back to late March, Hines has added offers to his growing lists from schools like Illinois, Cal, Western Kentucky, Mississippi State, Harvard, Duke, UConn, Ole Miss, Memphis, Wake Forest, Arkansas State, UAB and Virginia Tech.

This summer, Hines traveled to Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech with his football team, in addition to camping at Clemson and Notre Dame. Hines also visited both Wake Forest and Duke, while he has plans to visit Northwestern later this month. Alabama and Auburn also could receive visits from him as well.

“It’s been good. I’ve gotten to see the difference of what each school brings to the table, the ups and downs of going to different schools,” Hines said. “It definitely is good that I get to go to so many places. I get to see what some schools bring and what other schools don’t. I get to compare schools, which really helps me narrow down and gets me closer to making a decision.”

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Clemson lands massive five-star commitment from Peter Woods

Clemson just landed a game-wrecking defensive lineman prospect and the second five-star recruit in its 2023 class.

Clemson just added a huge piece to its 2023 recruiting class.

In a much-anticipated decision, five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods announced on Friday evening at Thompson High School (Alabaster, Ala.) that he is committing to Clemson, choosing the Tigers over Alabama, Florida and Jackson State.

Woods is the No. 3 defensive lineman and No. 23 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and is the second five-star to commit to Clemson, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

The 6-foot-3, 270-pounder finished his junior season with 92 tackles (26 for loss), 11 sacks, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.

The Crimson Tide had long been the favorite to land the Alabama native, but since he took an official visit on June 3, the narrative began to play in Clemson’s favor. Hours before Woods’ decision, three 247Sports recruiting insiders crystal balled him to Clemson.

With Woods’ pledge to defensive line coach Nick Eason and the Tigers, Clemson now has a loaded defensive line group in its 2023 class. Along with Woods, the Tigers’ have verbal commitments from four-star defensive lineman Vic Burley, four-star defensive lineman Stephiylan Green, four-star edge David Ojiegbe and four-star defensive lineman AJ Hoffler.

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Peach State defensive lineman recruit lists Clemson as a finalist

Despite already having four defensive lineman commits in its 2023 class, Clemson is in the mix for another Peach State defensive lineman prospect.

Clemson is in contention for another 2023 Peach State prospect.

Announcing the decision on his Instagram, four-star defensive lineman T.J. Searcy has narrowed his team list down to Clemson, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. 247Sports Composite ranks the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Searcy as the No. 20 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 153 overall prospect.

Playing for Upson-Lee High School (Thomaston, Ga.), Searcy officially visited Clemson on June 3 and has since visited his other three finalists.

As of Monday, the Tigers have four defensive lineman commits in their 2023 class: four-star Vic Burley, four-star Stephiylan Green, four-star David Ojiegbe and four-star AJ Hoffler. Burley, Green and Hoffler are all from Georgia, meaning if Searcy commits to Clemson, the Tigers would have four defensive line commits from the neighboring state.

Clemson has also been listed as a finalist for four-star defensive lineman Keldric Faulk and five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods, who will commit on July 5 and July 8, respectively.

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Clemson commits putting on their recruiting caps

Clemson commits are certainly putting on their recruiting caps as they try to help the Tigers add more top talent to their already stacked 2023 class. Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian five-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Warner Robins …

Clemson commits are certainly putting on their recruiting caps as they try to help the Tigers add more top talent to their already stacked 2023 class.

Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian five-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Warner Robins (Ga.) four-star defensive lineman Victor Burley and Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star defensive lineman AJ Hoffler have been all over Twitter working to get others — including Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods and Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville four-star defensive lineman Hunter Osborne — to join them aboard Clemson’s 2023 class:

Clemson’s 2023 class is currently ranked in the top five nationally in the Rivals team rankings (No. 3), the 247Sports Composite team rankings (No. 4) and ESPN’s recruiting rankings (No. 5).

As you can see, Clemson’s commits are definitely doing their part to help make this class a special one for the Tigers.

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