Tag: Andrew Paul

TCI’s National Signing Day preview: Breaking down commits, targets

The countdown to National Signing Day continues. With Wednesday’s NSD fast approaching, The Clemson Insider wanted to provide a primer to get you ready for the big day as it relates to the Tigers. In the following preview, we break down the …

The countdown to National Signing Day continues. With Wednesday’s NSD fast approaching, The Clemson Insider wanted to provide a primer to get you ready for the big day as it relates to the Tigers.

In the following preview, we break down the commitments that Clemson is set to sign on Wednesday, the targets that the Tigers are in the mix for, and more:

Cole Turner

Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School wide receiver Cole Turner announced his commitment to the Tigers after his official visit on Sunday, Jan. 16.

Cole, of course, is the younger brother of longtime Clemson safety Nolan Turner. Like his brother before for him, Cole was severely under-recruited coming out of high school.

The Clemson Insider spoke with Vestavia Hills head coach Sean Calhoun, prior to Cole’s offer from Clemson.

“He’s one of those stereotypical guys, who didn’t have much junior film and has a lot of senior film,” Calhoun said. “And, it’s really good and it’s vs. really, really good opponents. He’s a good player.

“Again, he’s just not on recruiting boards because if his senior film was his junior film, he’d be a three/four-star. But, he’s not and I think that the people that do see it and do get on him at this time, whoever gets him is definitely gonna get an absolute diamond in the rough. There’s no doubt about it.”

Myles Oliver

Oliver (6-0, 170) officially verbally pledged to the Tigers on Sunday, Jan. 16. The Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.) 2022 defensive back, like Turner before him, committed to Clemson after his official visit.

When asked by The Clemson Insider why he pulled the trigger on his commitment to Clemson, Oliver pointed to the coaching staff and the “great campus.”

Across his senior campaign, Oliver recorded five interceptions, 75 total tackles (55 solos), four touchdowns, 101 interception yards and 552 all-purpose yards. He received Douglas County Player of the Year honors for his contributions on the field this season.

Oliver’s head coach at Douglas County, Johnny T. White, talked to TCI in December and spoke about why he believed Clemson would ultimately be a good fit for the under-the-radar defensive back.

“Clemson would be a great place because it’s close to home for him,” White said. “Family’s big to him, so that’s not far. But, at the same time, I think it would be beneficial on both sides. I think he’d end up being a great player for Clemson. I know he’d be a standout guy because he’s a great young man. He’s a better young man than he is a football player, to be honest.”

Kobe McCloud

Kobe McCloud announced his verbal commitment to Clemson Wednesday, Jan. 26, just a mere couple of days after the legacy recruit, who hails from Gaither (Tampa, Fla.), officially visited campus.

McCloud went into detail with The Clemson Insider about his decision to commit to Clemson.

“Really just the love from the coaches,” McCloud said. “Not just the coaches, but their whole staff. I love that vision that they have for me for the next 3-4 years, so that played a big role.”

In a previous conversation with TCI, McCloud outlined his potential role. Clemson feels like he can play anywhere on that second-level, whether it’s at the WILL or MIKE linebacker positions. According to McCloud, Swinney had previously told him that his playstyle reminds him of former Clemson linebackers like B.J. Goodson and Dorian O’Daniel, both of whom went on to play in the NFL.

What can Clemson fans expect out of McCloud?

“I’m a baller on the field and off the field, I’m a great person with good character,” he said. “A person that lights up the room when I walk in. That’s the type of person I am.”

Kylon Griffin

Montgomery Catholic (Ala.) three-star defensive back Kylon Griffin elected to commit to Clemson on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Even though the fast-rising prospect, who was once committed to Mississippi State, had another official visit on the table, his mind was already made up.

“I think there was no more to be said,” Griffin said. “Clemson has it all and more. I think Dabo Swinney has a great culture up there, that continues to evolve and that the whole staff wants the same thing.”

What role does the coaching staff envision for him?

“They compared me to K’Von Wallace,” Griffin said. “He was all-around the backend when he was there. I’m pretty sure they plan to use me all-around.”

Jahiem Lawson

Jahiem Lawson from nearby Daniel High School publicly committed to the Tigers on Friday, Jan. 28.

Lawson – the younger brother of former Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson, who played for the Tigers from 2013-15 and has spent time in the NFL with the Bills, Dolphins, Texans and Jets – detailed his commitment decision in an interview with The Clemson Insider.

Jahiem (6-4, 215), who received an offer from Dabo Swinney and Clemson on Dec. 20, said he knew for sure a couple of weeks ago that Clemson is where he wanted to continue his academic and athletic career. He told Swinney and his staff that he wanted to be a Tiger while on his official visit to Clemson three weekends ago.

Jahiem chose the Tigers over offers from Missouri, Georgia Tech, Coastal Carolina and Liberty, among numerous other schools.

“The environment is really amazing,” Jahiem said of why he picked Clemson. “Being around the coaches, it’s like a family, and I love that. Going in on my OV (official visit), I just felt so welcomed. That was so exciting for me. So, that made my chances to go to Clemson higher.”

PWOs

Here is a list of all the preferred walk-ons that plan on signing with Clemson on Wednesday:

  • Christ Church Episcopal School (Greenville, S.C.) three-star offensive tackle Mason Johnstone
  • Laurens (S.C.) athlete Michael Mankaka
  • T.L. Hanna (Anderson, S.C.) linebacker Fletcher Cothran
  • Anderson (S.C.) T.L. Hanna offensive lineman Chap Pendergrass
  • Daniel (Central, S.C.) tight end Griffin Batt
  • Daniel (Central, S.C) wide receiver Clay Swinney
  • Daniel (Central, S.C.) quarterback Trent Pearman
  • Central High School (Phenix City, Ala.) quarterback Caleb Nix

Commitment Watch

By now, we know that there are four uncommitted prospects in the 2022 recruiting class that could commit to Clemson on Wednesday.

The Tigers played host this past weekend to a couple of official visitors, so we wanted to pass along the latest we have gathered regarding those official visitors, as well as the other Clemson targets.

T.J. Dudley

One of the uncommitted prospects that Clemson is in strong contention for is T.J. Dudley, a four-star linebacker from Montgomery (Ala.) Catholic Preparatory School who is ranked as the No. 11 outside linebacker and No. 143 overall prospect in the 2022 class by Rivals.

Dudley, a former Oregon commit, decommitted from the Ducks in early December after former Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal departed for Miami. It was around that time when Clemson, which offered Dudley back in June 2020, re-entered the mix for his services.

Clemson made a big impression on Dudley when he visited for a junior day back in the spring of 2020, and he returned to campus for an official visit last weekend – a visit that simply reinforced the things he liked about Clemson back then and only strengthened the Tigers’ standing heading into signing day.

Dudley is teammates with Montgomery Catholic Prep 2022 defensive back Kylon Griffin, who committed to the Tigers last week, and Clemson appears to be the clear frontrunner for Dudley as well. New co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin has done a good job with Dudley’s recruitment.

Dudley will announce his decision at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Caden Story

We also like where Clemson stands with Caden Story, a four-star defensive tackle from Lanett (Ala.) High School, who is ranked as the No. 20 defensive lineman and No. 147 overall prospect in the 2022 class by 247Sports.

Clemson is one of three stated finalists for Story, along with Florida and Auburn. He committed to the SEC’s Tigers last August but did not end up signing in December, then decommitted from Auburn on Jan. 16. He went to Florida for an official visit this past weekend.

The Tigers made a great impression on Story during his official visit two weekends ago. He has a strong and longstanding relationship with Clemson’s defensive tackles coach and run game coordinator, Nick Eason, who also recruited Story when Eason was at Auburn.

While the Gators gave Story something to think about last weekend, we still believe the Tigers are in a good spot heading into Wednesday.

Story will reveal his college choice at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Keith Adams, Jr.

The other official visitor on campus this weekend was Pine View (Saint George, Utah) 2022 three-star running back Keith Adams, Jr.

“I just liked how everybody treated me,” Adams told The Clemson Insider Sunday. “I just enjoyed spending time with the coaches and the players. I had a lot of fun and the facilities were great.”

Clemson originally offered Adams as a grayshirt back when he was a junior in October 2020, but on Saturday, the Tigers offered him a full ride. According to Adams, Clemson loved his film and they saw him progress throughout the entirety of his high school career, which is why they offered him a full scholarship.

“It meant a lot,” he said, “to actually get it in person, it felt a lot different than receiving it over the phone. It was a special moment for me and my family.”

Adams, of course, is the son of former Clemson All-American linebacker Keith Adams Sr., who went on to play seven years in the NFL and played in the 2005 Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Clemson made a big impression on Adams Jr. and his family this weekend, and while he won’t make his decision known until Wednesday, we like the Tigers’ chances heading into signing day.

Adams will reveal his college choice at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Andrew Paul

Heading into this past weekend, those close to Andrew Paul’s recruitment viewed Clemson as the frontrunner for the Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, Texas) three-star running back. However, Georgia has given him something to think about after his official visit to Athens this past weekend.

As far as his recruitment is concerned, Paul is very closed vest. So much so, that many of those around him are unsure of what he may decide. That being said, while we believe Georgia and Kirby Smart made a big push to land Paul’s commitment, we feel the Tigers still have a legitimate shot to land his signature on Wednesday.

Clemson has certainly put its best foot forward with Paul as well.

“He loved it,” Parish head coach Daniel Novakov said of Paul’s official visit. “He loved the place. He loved the people. He loved Coach Swinney. I think he really liked the kids he visited. I think he liked everything about it.”

The Tigers have been recruiting Paul hard since C.J. Spiller was in attendance for Paul’s state playoff game last month. Clemson’s running backs coach stayed for the entire game. That went a long way with Paul and his trainer Brandon Williams, who trains the three-star running back at FASST Performance & Fitness and has done so for the past three and a half years.

“That showed me not just the value, but the perception that I got from C.J. standing there the entire time just tells me where their relationship is with Andrew,” Williams said. ‘“Hey, this young man is what we want. It’s been amazing to see all those things, especially the respect level.”

Paul has built a close relationship with Spiller. He’ll have a tough decision to make between Clemson, Georgia and Michigan.

Paul will announce his decision at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday.

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Georgia football offers, in running for 2022 RB Andrew Paul

The Georgia Bulldogs offered three-star running back Andrew Paul extremely late in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Will he commit to UGA?

The Georgia Bulldogs offered three-star running back Andrew Paul extremely late in the recruiting process. The University of Georgia waited until one week before the end of the 2022 recruiting cycle to offer Paul.

It is rare for prospects to receive offers this late in the recruiting cycle. Paul is somewhat of a late bloomer thanks to his massive senior season. Paul announced his scholarship offer from UGA via Twitter:

The three-star running back played high school football for Parish Episcopal in Dallas, Texas. He is considering committing to Georgia, Clemson, Colorado, Michigan, or Michigan State.

Andrew Paul had 2,612 rushing yards and 44 total touchdowns in his final season with Parish Episcopal.

Paul could be the next man up if four-star running back Jordan James flips to Oregon. Georgia is looking to replace James Cook and Zamir White with their class of 2022 running backs.

The Bulldogs will return Kenny McIntosh, Kendall Milton, and Daijun Edwards from the 2021 roster. The Dawgs already have a solid running back class with powerful-running four-star Branson Robinson.

Andrew Paul will announce his college decision at 12:20 a.m. EST on Feb. 2, 2022. He is expected to commit to Georgia. Clemson may be the Bulldogs’ top competition for Paul.

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The latest on Andrew Paul

The Clemson Insider has the latest on Andrew Paul’s recruitment after speaking with those familiar with his recruitment. Paul, who hails from the Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.), is coming off an official visit this past weekend. We wanted to …

The Clemson Insider has the latest on Andrew Paul’s recruitment after speaking with those familiar with his recruitment.

Paul, who hails from the Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.), is coming off an official visit this past weekend. We wanted to find out more about his official visit to Clemson and his current recruitment, so we spoke with Paul’s head coach at Parish, Daniel Novakov, and his trainer Brandon Williams.

“He loved it,” Novakov said of Paul’s official visit. “He loved the place. He loved the people. He loved Coach Swinney. I think he really liked the kids he visited. I think he liked everything about it.”

Novakov feels like Clemson has put its best foot forward with Paul and now it’s a matter of him making a decision.

Williams, who trains the three-star running back at FASST Performance & Fitness and has done so for the past three and a half years, also touched on Paul’s official visit.

“I think everything kind of gave him more insight into what he’s going to get himself into,” Williams said. “Dabo speaking to him was really cool and he’s already built a relationship with him. They’ve been straightforward with him all the way through, which is a pretty cool deal if I’m being honest. With Dabo coming down again on Tuesday, he was enjoying that time with him and he already got to see him this past weekend. He had a great time out there at Clemson.

“They really [made a good impression] on him. C.J. Spiller’s been staying in contact with him, communicating with him. That’s something you want, to build a relationship with a kid because this kid’s about relationships. He really is. He wants to go to a spot where he can go talk to the head coach and not go in there as a robot, not be timid.”

Before he makes his college decision, though, Paul has to decide where he’s going to take his final official visit, whether it’s to Oregon, Notre Dame or Georgia, who recently came in late with a scholarship offer on Sunday.

He also made an unofficial visit to TCU earlier this week. 

“The hard part for him is this is brand new seeing these types of schools,” Novakov said. “He’s trying to make sure he’s making the right decision. I would say this is all brand new, so he’s trying to figure it all out. Most kids get 2-3 years to figure this out. He’s got to do it pretty rushed. So, it’s been tough on him. It just goes to show you that everyone’s done a really good job [recruiting him].”

Williams acknowledged that, obviously, he won’t be making Paul’s decision for him, but has done his best to advise him. He shared a tidbit from his conversations over the years with Paul, in which Williams previously asked the talented running back what his dream school would be.

According to Williams, Paul never hesitated. In his eyes, his dream school was anywhere that someone was willing to take a chance on him. 

Now it’s about deciding which one of these programs he wants to take a chance on. It appears that Paul will be making his decision in less than a week on National Signing Day, which is on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

He jokingly compared Paul’s decision to a “Batman type deal.”

“He’s gonna make his move in the middle of the night and call it a day,” Williams quipped.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Priority RB target ‘felt the love’ during official visit

Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX) three-star running back Andrew Paul was on campus this weekend for his official visit to Clemson. Had a great visit this weekend! Definitely felt the love @ClemsonFB #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/ke8nQOhrBN – Andrew …

Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX) three-star running back Andrew Paul was on campus this weekend for his official visit to Clemson.

The fast-rising running back prospect was arguably the biggest name on campus for the Tigers. Paul has been one of the fastest-rising prospects in the country since his tremendous senior campaign. In 13 games, he recorded 2,824 all-purpose yards with 44 total touchdowns. He also averaged an impressive 9.7 yards per carry and 201.2 yards per game.

Clemson officially extended a scholarship offer to Paul on Thursday, Jan. 6.

“I think Clemson is one of those premier programs,” Parish head coach Daniel Novakov said after Clemson officially offered Paul. “Anytime you get an offer from a place like that, I think it kind of legitimizes you as a star amongst stars. I think it’s one of those top-notch programs that all kids aspire to be recruited by.”

Paul was visited by both Clemson running back coach C.J. Spiller and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, who stopped by his training session with Brandon Williams on Wednesday.

Paul is coming off an official visit to the University of Michigan the weekend prior and previously visited the University of Colorado as well. He has one remaining official visit remaining and he could choose to visit either Notre Dame or Oregon prior to signing day, but nothing’s set in stone just yet.

Right now, Dabo Swinney is tentatively scheduled to visit make an in-home visit with Paul on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Big official visit weekend on tap for Clemson

Clemson is getting ready for a big recruiting weekend, as the Tigers will play host to a quartet of official visitors this weekend. The four official visitors that have confirmed that they will be in attendance are all uncommitted prospects in the …

Clemson is getting ready for a big recruiting weekend, as the Tigers will play host to a quartet of official visitors this weekend.

The four official visitors that have confirmed that they will be in attendance are all uncommitted prospects in the class of 2022, looking to find their next home, prior to next month’s National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

The official visitors that are expected to be on campus this weekend are — Lanett (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Caden Story, Gaither (Tampa, Fla.) three-star linebacker Kobe McCloud, Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.) three-star running back Andrew Paul and Montgomery Catholic Preparatory (Montgomery, Ala.) three-star defensive back Kylon Griffin.

Caden Story

Starting off with Story, he formally decommitted from Auburn this weekend and has since re-opened his recruitment. The highly-touted defensive lineman out of the Yellowhammer State previously committed to Auburn on Aug. 1, 2021, and Nick Eason played a significant part in his decision to originally commit to Bryan Harsin’s program.

Story saw Eason as someone who could develop and take his game to the next level.

Clemson’s defensive tackles coach and run game coordinator stayed in contact with Story and never stopped recruiting him, even after departing Auburn to join Dabo Swinney’s staff and return home to Clemson.

Eason stopped by Story’s high school last Friday and made an in-home visit with him and his parents just a couple of days later. He even made sure to bring his guitar with him.

“Coach Eason, that’s my guy,” Story said. “He’s a real dude. We have a really close relationship. I feel like he’s one of the best in the country. I feel like he is the best in the country. Me and Coach Eason, we’re tight. We’re close. That’s my dude. That’s my guy.”

When Eason originally recruited Story to Auburn, what was he looking for him to come in and do?

“Just developing and becoming a better player than I was before I got there,” Story added. “Become a better man than when I got there. He showed me a plan of the way they wanted to use me at Auburn and hopefully, [this weekend], he’ll do the same.”

Story is down to three schools: Clemson, Florida and Auburn. He’ll be making an official visit to Gainesville next weekend and then make his decision in Lanett High School’s gymnasium shortly thereafter.

Kobe McCloud

Like Story, ahead of his official visit to Clemson this weekend, McCloud ultimately decided to back off his commitment from FIU. He indicated that the coaching changes played a part in his decision to decommit and reopen his recruitment and weigh his options.

The legacy recruit recently spoke to The Clemson Insider prior to his official visit about what he’s looking forward to this weekend.

“I’m super excited,” he said. “I can’t wait to see it. I haven’t been there since 2017 or around there, since my brother was there. So, it’s great to see it there, years later.”

Kobe, of course, is the younger brother of former Clemson and current Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Ray-Ray McCloud III. Now that Ray-Ray’s season is over, he plans on meeting his family at Clemson and will be present for Kobe’s official visit.

Right now, Kobe is pushing to wait until signing day. But if he likes how the official visit goes this weekend, there is a possibility that he could make a decision before then.

His recruitment is also now down to three schools: Clemson, UMass and Arizona.

Andrew Paul

Possibly the biggest name on campus this weekend will be Paul, who has been one of the fastest rising prospects in the country since his tremendous senior campaign. In 13 games, he recorded 2,824 all-purpose yards with 44 total touchdowns. He also averaged an impressive 9.7 yards per carry and 201.2 yards per game.

Clemson officially extended a scholarship offer to Paul on Thursday, Jan. 6.

“I think Clemson is one of those premier programs,” Parish head coach Daniel Novakov said after Clemson officially offered Paul. “Anytime you get an offer from a place like that, I think it kind of legitimizes you as a star amongst stars. I think it’s one of those top-notch programs that all kids aspire to be recruited by.”

Paul was visited by both Clemson running back coach C.J. Spiller and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, who stopped by his training session with Brandon Williams on Wednesday.

Williams, who trains the three-star running back at FASST Performance & Fitness and has done so for the past three and a half years. He’s worked every step of the way with the Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.) product.

Spiller and Streeter chatted with Paul a little bit before his training session Thursday. They didn’t want to interrupt but just were there to observe the running back prospect, who has become a priority for Clemson in the 2022 recruiting class.

Williams spoke with TCI ahead of Paul’s visit to Clemson this weekend.

“Oh man, he’s excited,” Williams said. “He can’t wait to go talk to them again and really get to see Dabo Swinney. Dabo’s gonna be Dabo and I told him, everything you listen to, listen in and ask a lot of questions and get to know him. We do walk by our faith. That’s who we are. That’s something he’s believed in since Day 1 when I first met him and Dabo’s lined up with that.”

Paul is coming off an official visit to the University of Michigan the weekend prior and previously visited the University of Colorado as well. He has one remaining official visit remaining and he could choose to visit either Notre Dame or Oregon prior to signing day, but nothing’s set in stone just yet.

Without getting ahead of ourselves, this weekend will be big for Paul and Clemson’s pursuit of him. Shortly thereafter, Swinney is tentatively scheduled to visit make an in-home visit with Paul on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

Kylon Griffin

Last, but certainly not least, is Griffin, the three-star defensive back out of Montgomery Catholic Prep.

Griffin, who was recently offered by Clemson, included the Tigers, along with Nebraska and Southern Cal, as his top and final three schools.

Griffin (6-0, 187) is a former Mississippi State commit. He officially visited Nebraska last weekend, will visit Clemson this weekend and will finish off his visits with Southern Cal next weekend.

According to MaxPreps, Griffin recorded 44 total tackles (five for loss), six passes defended and a caused fumble as a senior this past season.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Oregon Ducks zero in on 3-star RB Andrew Paul, the fastest-rising prospect in the nation

The Oregon Ducks have offered and visited 3-star RB Andrew Paul, who is described as the ‘fastest-rising prospect’ in the nation.

[jwplayer jiMvlrVJ]

For everything you could possibly want to know about the monumental rise three-star running back Andrew Paul has experienced over the past month, check out this piece from The Athletic’s Ari Wasserman.

He’s described as an SEC player who has been overlooked by recruiting rankings. He rushed for 2,616 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns in his senior season with Parish Episcopal School in Texas, leading it to a state championship. He has been described as a Bo Jackson Lite who will make whichever college gets him very happy.

The Oregon Ducks extended him an offer on Jan. 13, and head coach Dan Lanning flew to the Lone Star State over the weekend to meet with him, accompanied by running backs coach Carlos Locklyn.

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It’s a potentially big meeting for Lanning and the Ducks, who have seen their depth at the RB position,  which was the strongest on the team, wane over the past couple of weeks.

Last week, Travis Dye entered the transfer portal, which came as a shock to many. On Tuesday, Trey Benson announced his transfer to Florida State. We are still unsure about the future of CJ Verdell, who could stay in the 2022 NFL draft or return to Oregon for one final season. In other words, the future of Oregon’s RB spot is up in the air.

Byron Cardwell, Sean Dollars and Seven McGee are back for certain. But should Verdell leave and Dye choose a landing spot other than Eugene, that’s a thin depth chart. It looks a lot better if Paul commits to Oregon.

We know Lanning and his staff are trying to make that happen. With a few weeks before national signing day arrives, Paul is one of the bigger names to watch in Oregon recruiting circles.

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An update on 2022 Lone Star State RB target

We have an update to pass along on a priority running back target for Clemson in the 2022 recruiting class. The Clemson Insider has learned that Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter will be in Dallas …

We have an update to pass along on a priority running back target for Clemson in the 2022 recruiting class.

The Clemson Insider has learned that Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter will be in Dallas (TX.) on Tuesday to visit with Parish Episcopal School three-star Andrew Paul, ahead of his official visit this upcoming weekend.

Paul will travel to Clemson this weekend (Jan. 21-23) for his official visit. The fast-rising running back prospect is coming off an official visit to the University of Michigan this past weekend.

Clemson, of course, is not alone in its pursuit of Paul. Notre Dame recently offered and head coach Marcus Freeman plans on flying into Dallas to visit with him Tuesday.

The University of Oregon was in to visit with Paul on Monday, with both head coach Dan Lanning and runnings back coach Carlos Locklyn.

While Clemson is sending its top offensive lieutenants to Dallas this week, that’s not to say that Dabo Swinney won’t make the trip. According to Parish head coach, Daniel Novakov, Swinney will make an in-home visit with Paul on Tuesday, Jan. 25, almost a week prior to National Signing Day.

Just last week, Paul was announced as the Ford Built Tough player of the year for the state of Texas. In 13 games, he recorded 2,824 all-purpose yards with 44 total touchdowns. He also averaged an impressive 9.7 yards per carry and 201.2 yards per game.

As February’s signing day inches closer, it’s clear that Clemson has made Paul a priority. The final push for the Tigers to land Paul starts Tuesday.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Trainer: Hard work and patience has paid off for Clemson 2022 RB target

Brandon Williams put Andrew Pual through the ringer, working with him every step of his career. Williams, who trains the three-star running back at FASST Performance & Fitness has done so for the past three and a half years. He’s worked every step …

Brandon Williams put Andrew Pual through the ringer, working with him every step of his career.

Williams, who trains the three-star running back at FASST Performance & Fitness has done so for the past three and a half years. He’s worked every step of the way with the Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.) product.

Paul knew that he was going to have to wait his turn, but Williams made sure to tell him that whatever comes his way is nothing but blessings. That patience has persisted and it’s evident in how his recruitment has played out recently.

Williams remembers Clemson talking to Paul that they were gonna offer him a little bit later on — the Tigers offered him on Thursday, Jan. 6 — and they preached patience in their own process. Since then, he’s also picked up an offer from Notre Dame.

“I told him to just be patient and not worry about anything else,” Williams told The Clemson Insider. “I told him to just let things play out because he deserves the opportunity…all these offers man, is awesome. Clemson’s offer is amazing. He’s definitely excited.”

Williams recalled earlier last month when Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller stayed for Paul’s entire state playoff game.

“That showed me not just the value, but the perception that I got from C.J. standing there the entire time just tells me where their relationship is with Andrew,” Williams said. ‘“Hey, this young man is what we want.’ It’s been amazing to see all those things, especially the respect level.”

Having a College Football Hall of Famer scout his playoff games from the sidelines didn’t happen overnight for Paul.

He put the necessary work in and did so day in and day out. Paul would come in to train with Williams every Saturday after a game. That’s right, every Saturday after a game. It didn’t matter what it was. He always showed up.

Williams always tells people to go back to Paul’s freshman season of high school and compare it to where he is now. He got to Paul his mid-freshman year, that’s when he was first introduced to him. 

He’ll never forget one of their first interactions.

“When I first met him, I remember watching his film and I said, ‘Hmm, you’re OK,’ Williams recalls. “He looked at me and said, ‘Wait, what?’”

Williams’ credentials speak for themselves. 

He graduated from Plano Senior High School in 2004 and played football at Navarro College as a true freshman. While that marked the end of his football career, he has since worked with student-athletes like Paul ever since.

He counts athletes like Los Angeles Rams starting offensive guard Joseph Noteboom, Baltimore Ravens defensive back Brandon Stephens and SMU defensive lineman Kadaris Smith, as players he helped develop.

Williams was honest with Paul about his future prospects at the running back position. He told Paul that he can’t sit there and run over people. That wasn’t gonna work. He was going to need to make people miss. 

“You want people to believe in you? Make people miss,” Williams said regarding his message to Paul. “Hit off of contact and keep on rolling. Hitting people and looking for contact ain’t gonna work. This is not fullback. You want to play fullback? Then go play linebacker.”

When Paul got to his sophomore year, he started to make people miss and earn the respect of others. He had other schools asking them to transfer to their respective programs in the middle of the season; they were that impressed with his progress.

Williams could already see a wholesale change in the running back and knew he was special because he’d seen it with his own eyes. 

“It took it to a whole different level,” Williams said. “When it came to quarantine time, we worked every other day. I kid you not, every other day. We did not stop.”

Williams challenged Paul that if he wanted to have it, he was going to have to come and take it.

Paul accepted that challenge. All the proof you need is in his senior year film.

Turn on the tape and you’ll watch Paul rushing for 2,612 yards and scoring 41 touchdowns as a senior at Parish.

That’s because he was willing to put in the work. As he waited for his turn to showcase his abilities, Paul remained patient and worked in silence. 

“He’s a very wholesome guy,” Williams said. “He’s very, very determined. He’s always been thinking like he’s on a mission. I’ll say this — a lot of people say class act — but he really is a class act. He’s a great kid. I’ll say that because I know his mom and dad. I know them personally and have been around [Andrew] for three and a half years, so there’s a lot of growth there. On and off the field, he’s an impact-type guy. He shows by his leadership and not just by being verbal, but more by his actions.”

Waiting for his turn has never been an issue for Paul and if he does end up making Clemson his next home, he’ll arrive in a running back room that already has the likes of Will Shipley, Kobe Pace and Phil Mafah in it.

That won’t be a problem for Paul, though. He’ll wait.

“He’s a very humble kid,” Williams said. “He’s willing to learn the things he’s got to learn and pick them up. He’ll take his time. We’ve been talking about that for years, if you’re able to redshirt your freshman year, make it so you can learn your program and get your classes together. We also talked about not just your four years, let’s talk about getting your 60 years. Focus on those things, those values. 

“Be a student-athlete, not just an athlete. He understands that value very, very well. He’s not in a rush. He’s going to rise to the occasion when it comes his way but earn that opportunity. He’s willing to be patient at everything.”

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The latest on newly offered 2022 running back

The Clemson Insider has the latest on a running back in the 2022 recruiting class, who received a highly-anticipated offer from Clemson on Thursday night. Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.) three-star RB Andrew Paul announced the offer from the …

The Clemson Insider has the latest on a running back in the 2022 recruiting class, who received a highly-anticipated offer from Clemson on Thursday night. 

Parish Episcopal School (Dallas, TX.) three-star RB Andrew Paul announced the offer from the Tigers on social media late Thursday. 

We spoke with his head coach, Daniel Novakov, to get the latest on Paul’s recruitment after receiving the offer that he had been waiting for.

“I think Clemson is one of those premier programs,” Novakov told TCI.” Anytime you get an offer from a place like that, I think it kind of legitimizes you as a star amongst stars. I think it’s one of those top-notch programs that all kids aspire to be recruited by.”’

Novakov was able to connect with Clemson running backs coach C.J. Spiller, who told Paul’s head coach that they were going to be offering the talented back.

Obviously, Clemson didn’t need to do that, but Novakov appreciated the Tigers’ “old school” way of doing business.

Of course, he had a chance to speak with Paul after the offer came in.

“Oh man, I think he’s super excited,” Novakov said. “From talking to him and just from how his texts came across, it seems like he’s super, super excited.”

Paul will be officially visiting Clemson the weekend of Jan. 22 and also plans to take an official visit to the University of Michigan. He’s taken one official thus far and that was to the University of Colorado. 

Since the start of the month of November, Paul has seen his recruitment take off. He’s earned offers from Cal, Michigan State, Auburn, Houston, Purdue, SMU, Washington State, TCU, Michigan and most recently the University of Notre Dame.

With National Signing Day less than a month out, Paul’s weighing his options as he looks to find his next home. It’s pretty clear that his coveted Clemson offer holds some weight.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

 

2022 Lone Star State RB announces Clemson offer

A running back from the Lone Star State, that Clemson has been expressing interest in, reported an offer from the Tigers on Thursday night. Andrew Paul, a three-star running back out of Dallas’ Parish Episcopal School, announced the offer on …

A running back from the Lone Star State, that Clemson has been expressing interest in, reported an offer from the Tigers on Thursday night.

Andrew Paul, a three-star running back out of Dallas’ Parish Episcopal School, announced the offer on Twitter.

Clemson has been monitoring Paul and was in attendance for one of his playoff games earlier last month.

Since the start of the month of November, Paul has seen his recruitment take off. He’s earned offers from Cal, Michigan State, Auburn, Houston, Purdue, SMU, Washington State, TCU and the University of Michigan.

Paul rushed for 2,612 yards and added 41 touchdowns as a senior at the Parish Episcopal School.

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