Tag: Bryant Wesco

Dabo Swinney continues praise for freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco

Bryant Wesco has been impressing his head coach.

Dabo Swinney and the Tigers need a star at wide receiver and they may have gotten just that in freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco.

Wesco was an early enrollee with high expectations as a five-star recruit, and so far, he’s lived up to those expectations. Wesco recorded three catches for 26 yards and a ridiculous touchdown in the Tigers’ Orange and White spring game, looking like a threat on the outside. He’s been so promising that Swinney has taken notice of what Wesco has been doing and what he has shown him as a player.

“You get these guys in here as freshmen, you never really know exactly where they are till you start coaching them and some guys, you come in and  you see the talent right away but maybe the maturity and even the commitment is not quite where it needs to be,” Swinney said. “He’s a kid, from day one, the commitment is above the talent and it just drives everything. He’s very conscientiousness, he can take things from the meeting rooms to the practice field.

“He’s already put on about eight or nine pounds and he’s still going to be a developing guy between now and August. He just took right to it and he had a lot of opportunity…man, he took advantage of it and really showed that he’s a guy that can play and he’s definitely going to be a guy that can help us.”

Clemson has talent at wide receiver with guys such as Antonio Williams and Tyler Brown, but neither fit the mold of a true alpha wide receiver. That’s where Wesco can fit right in.

If Wesco can have an immediate impact for this offense, the Tigers’ wide receiver room is going to be a lot stronger than many expect.

Where Clemson ranks in every updated 2024 team recruiting rankings

Here is how Clemson currently fares across all major recruiting platforms.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program but many programs across took advantage of the early signing period, which allows teams to lock in their talented recruits to join their program.

The Tigers have had a successful early signing day, landing two offensive linemen in Elyjah Thurmon and Mason Wade while also securing the signings of other commits who have been waiting a long time for this moment. In the ever-changing world of college football, getting players signed and prepared to join the team has become much more important. 

With signing day over, we’ve seen Clemson climb team recruiting rankings as they added more members to their 2024 recruiting class and signed some of the top players around the country. Below is a look at where the Tigers stand in each of the four top recruiting outlets: 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals.

Updated 4/16

Observations from Clemson’s offense in 2024 spring game

Here are some observations on the offense from Clemson’s 2024 spring game.

Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially in the books. The Orange team defeated the White team, 27-12, in Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers had plenty of highlights on both offense and defense. Let’s look at the offense.

Wesco shows off

Bryant Wesco looked every bit the part of a five-star recruit in Saturday’s spring game. Wesco, ranked the sixth-best receiver in the nation by 247Sports for the class of 2024, made three catches for 26 yards.

Wesco, playing for the Orange team, caught a short pass over the middle and picked up 15 yards for a first down on his first catch of the afternoon.

Two plays later, Wesco did one even better by hauling in an over-the-shoulder, 9-yard touchdown grab from quarterback Trent Pearman. Wesco made the catch in tight coverage on a fade route for the Orange team’s first score of the game and a 7-3 lead with 1:31 to play in the first quarter.

Quarterback play

Speaking of Pearman, he was his own storyline in Saturday’s spring game. The sophomore from nearby D.W. Daniel High School in Clemson finished the afternoon an impressive 10-for-13 with 113 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Pearman engineered the scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown catch by capping a five-play, 57-yard drive.

One of the most impressive plays of the day was when Pearman took off for a 49-yard touchdown run on a read-option play with 3:45 to play in the first half.

Later in the game, Pearman made a nice throw intended for receiver Jackson Crosby in the corner of the end zone. It took a terrific defensive play from cornerback Noah Dixon to break up the pass with 3:07 to play.

Cade Klubnik got off to a poor start but rebounded for a decent showing at Saturday’s game. Klubnik finished his day 13-of-26 for 158 yards.

He was intercepted by cornerback Tavoy Feagin in the first quarter when receiver Adam Randall ran the wrong route. Feagin returned the interception 45 yards to set up the game’s first score, a 29-yard Nolan Hauser field goal for the White team.

Klubnik was fortunate to only throw the one pick. He uncorked a pass into double coverage later in the first quarter, but a dropped interception bailed Klubnik out on the ill-advised throw.

There were some highlights for Klubnik, though. He converted on a 3rd-and-12 midway through the second quarter when he found Antonio Williams on a short route to his right. That led to an impressive 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 7:10 off the clock and put Klubnik’s team ahead 21-6 with 5:42 left in the first half.

On Klubnik’s next drive, tight end Olsen Patt-Henry dropped what would have been a first down for the Orange team.

Later on in the game, Randall hauled in a perfect 55-yard strike from Klubnik on the final play of the third quarter.

Christopher Vizzina, who started at quarterback for the White team, was a pedestrian 14-of-25 for 108 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest mistake early on came when Jamal Anderson intercepted an attempted screen pass and returned it 25 yards for a pick six.

Later in the first half, Vizzina was picked off again by Anderson, but the play was negated by an offsides penalty.

Vizzina’s second official interception came with time winding down in the third quarter. On that play, Vizzina made a throw to the wrong side of a wheel route that led to an interception from Jahiem Lawson at the Orange team’s 2-yard line.

It wasn’t just Wesco who stood out at receiver

Clemson had a few standout performances from its receivers in Saturday’s scrimmage. Josh Sapp had three catches for 60 yards. The sophomore from Greenville made a sensational play when he leapt well into the air to haul in a 39-yard pass from Vizzina over two defenders in the third quarter.

Randall had 85 receiving yards through the air on four catches, including his 55-yard grab to end the third quarter. Randall also made a terrific catch as part of the first-quarter scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown.

Williams, sidelined for much of last season due to injuries, made a nice return to the field in the spring game. He caught five of seven targets for 62 yards, including a 19-yard reception.

Watch freshman Bryant Wesco make a ridiculous touchdown grab in Clemson’s 2024 spring game

Clemson freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco is legit.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program need playmakers at wide receiver and freshman Bryant Wesco looks to be that playmaker. 

The Tigers 2024 Orange and White spring game is currently going on, with veteran talent looking to show their improvement and freshmen looking to show Clemson fans what they’re capable of. Wesco has done exactly that in just one-quarter of football, making an absurd touchdown grab in the back of the end zone. 

Clemson quarterback Trent Pearman dropped back to pass in the red zone and delivered a beautiful ball to Wesco. The young wide receiver made a perfect play on the ball, resulting in a 9-yard touchdown. Check out the touchdown below.

It’s Game Day: Orange vs. White Rosters for 2024 Clemson Tigers Spring Game

Clemson Tigers Football: Here’s a look at all the players who will appear at 2024 Orange vs. White spring game Saturday at Memorial Stadium Saturday.

Game day for Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially here.

The Tigers’ annual Orange vs. White game will begin at 1 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.

In what will be the 16th spring game under coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers will have no shortage of intrigue and interest surrounding the players who will take the field at Memorial Stadium.

Cade Klubnik returns for his second season as starter, and the Tigers feature one of the nation’s best linebackers in Barrett Carter.

There’s also incoming freshmen that fans will get their first looks at, including five-star recruits like wide receiver Bryant Wesco and linebacker Sammy Brown.

Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will serve as head coach of the orange team in Saturday’s scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin will serve as head coach of the white team.

Swinney had a special message for fans in his final meeting with the media ahead of Saturday’s game.

“Man, I really hope they’ll show up and we’ll have a great crowd,” Swinney said. “It’s free, it is a very meaningful opportunity for us as a program, and our fans always show up. For a lot of these midyears (players), this is a big moment because the next time they actually play, the scoreboard’s going to be lit up.

“So this is a great opportunity to try to hopefully create that game feeling for some of these guys. And then we’ve got some guys that are getting a lot more opportunity as your team changes every year and you start over.”

With that, here’s a look at the rosters for Saturday’s spring game.

Orange Team

Coaches: Garrett Riley (head coach), Tyler Grisham, Mickey Conn, Chris Rumph, Matt Luke

Quarterbacks: Cade Klubnik, Trent Pearman, Colby Shaw

Running backs: Phil Mafah, Jarvis Green, Peyton Streko, Tristen Rigby, Kevin McNeal

Wide receivers: Bryant Wesco, Antonio Williams, Charlie Johnson, Adam Randall, Jackson Crosby, Joseph Flesch, Clay Swinney, Blackmon Huckabee, Jr.

Tight ends: Jake Briningstool, Olsen Patt-Henry, Banks Pope

Offensive linemen: Tristan Leigh, Marcus Tate, Will Boggs, Harris Sewell, Ryan Linthicum, Bryce Smith, Collin Sadler, Blake Miller, Nathan Brooks, Watson Miller, Sam Judy

Defensive ends: A.J. Hoffler, Zaire Patterson, Jahiem Lawson, Armon Mason

Defensive tackles: Payton Page, Jaheim Scott, Stephiylan Green, Champ Thompson, Peyton Pitts

Linebackers: Barrett Carter, Dee Crayton, Reed Morrissey, Jamal Anderson, Fletcher Cothran, Philippe Kabasele

Cornerbacks: Corian Gipson, Shelton Lewis, Myles Oliver, Branden Strozie

Safeties: Kylon Griffin, Bubba McAtee, Tyler Venables, Joe Wilkinson, Caleb Nix, Peter Nearn, Walt Smith, Sherrod Covil Jr.

Special teams: Robert Gunn III (K), Quinn Castner (K), Jack Smith (P), Holden Caspersen (LS)

White Team

Coaches: Wed Goodwin (head coach), Mike Reed, Kyle Richardson, C.J. Spiller, Nick Eason

Quarterbacks: Christopher Vizzina, Trent Pearman

Running backs: Keith Adams Jr., David Eziomume, Wise Segars Jr.

Wide receivers: Misun Kelley, Hampton Earle, Ronan Hanafin, Tristan Martinez, Zach Jackson, Jack Purkerson, Chase Byrd, Clay Swinney

Tight ends: Josh Sapp, Marcus Dixon

Offensive linemen: Ian Reed, Mason Johnstone, Elyjah Thurmon, Dietrick Pennington, Harris Sewell, Jake Norris, Trent Howard, Zack Owens, Jackson Hall, Chapman Pendergrass, Mason Wade, Dominic Cordone

Defensive ends: T.J. Parker, Cade Denhoff, Levi Mathews, Adam Kissayi

Defensive tackles: Caden Story, Tre Williams, DeMonte Capehart, Patrick Swygert

Linebackers: Wade Woodaz, Sammy Brown, Chandler McMaster, Kobe McCloud, Griffin Batt

Cornerbacks: Austin Randall, Tavoy Feagin, Avieon Terrell, Michael Mankaka

Safeties: Khalil Barnes, R.J. Mickens, Jacob Hendricks, Kylen Webb, Noah Dixon, Boston Miller, Robert Billings

Special teams: Nolan Hauser (PK), Hogan Morton (PK), Aidan Swanson (P), Will McCune (P) Philip Florenzo (LS)

All eyes on Bryant Wesco at Clemson spring game

Freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco, a five-star recruit from Texas, is generating some of the most buzz this spring.

Saturday will mark the 16th spring game of the Dabo Swinney era at Clemson, and as with every game before it, fans will have a lot to keep their eyes on.

Generating some of the most buzz this spring is highly touted freshman receiver Bryant Wesco, a five-star recruit from Midlothian, Texas. Wesco was ranked the No. 6 receiver in the nation in 247 Sports’ composite rankings for the class of 2024.

He has drawn no shortage of praise from teammates and coaches alike. Swinney has praised the 6’2, 170-pound athlete for his poise and maturity.

“Poise and maturity are rare for a young kid. He’s obviously very talented,” Swinney said of Wesco earlier this spring. “You see a lot of kids that are talented, but they don’t have the mindset or the maturity to go with it. He does. That’s encouraging because all the rest of this stuff, he’ll get better at.”

After Wesco fumbled a ball during one practice, Swinney quipped that he’d had to relish a rare opportunity to yell at the potential star. “Then he comes right back, makes a couple of great plays,” Swinney noted.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley praised Wesco for his ability to quickly adapt to his environment after enrolling at the school in January.

“Bryant’s done a nice job,” Riley told The Clemson Insider last week. “Anytime as a freshman, the whole thing is just: can you handle mentally? And then just the grind, the speed of the game, the transitioning at his position at receiver.

“He’s been able to mentally handle things, and I think he’s a guy that’s transitioned really well with the speed of the game. The moment’s not too big for him. He just feels like that type of player to me. I’m very pleased with his start.”

Wesco will be paired with starting quarterback Cade Klubnik and fellow receivers Adam Randall and Antonio Williams (among others), as well as tight end Jake Briningstool on the Orange team at Saturday’s spring game.

Wesco’s development is especially important for a Clemson program that has struggled to develop receivers since the team’s run of six straight College Football Playoff appearances. The Tigers haven’t had a player finish with 1,000 receiving yards in a season since Amari Rodgers in 2020.

That’s a long drought for a school that prided itself on being “Wide Receiver U” after such stars as DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, Justyn Ross, and Hunter Renfrow — all Swinney players.

The Tigers are hoping that Wesco will join that set of decorated players.

“He’ll get bigger, he’ll get stronger, he’ll work at it. He’ll learn some other positions. All that stuff will come in the bigger picture of things, but he’s just a poised kid that’s tough and likes to play, likes to be coached. He’s just got the maturity to match the talent,” Swinney said.

Saturday’s Orange vs. White game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. EDT from Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast/streamed on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.

Clemson’s Bryant Wesco on list of players turning heads in spring practice

Clemson Tigers Football: The hype continues to build for freshman receiver Bryant Wesco.

The hype continues to build for Clemson’s Bryant Wesco.

The 6’2″, 170-pound receiver, a five-star recruit out of Midlothian (Texas) High School, chose Clemson over LSU, Tennessee, USC and others in 2023.

247Sports ranked Wesco as the sixth-best receiver nationally in the class of 2024, as well as the fifth-best player from the Lone Star State.

Noting that Wesco chose to play with another Texas native in quarterback Cade Klubnik when he committed to Clemson, B/R Sports listed Wesco on its list of 10 college football players that were turning heads in spring practice.

Per B/R’s story:

“Simply put: The Tigers haven’t had many talented weapons at wideout like him in the past couple of seasons, so he could team with Antonio Williams to give them a major threat on the outside who can stretch the field and make huge plays downfield.

“Transforming the offense to one that instills fear in folks is why Riley was brought onboard, and coach Dabo Swinney certainly won’t outfit his roster with portal talent, so incoming youngsters like Wesco have to.”

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley recently told The Clemson Insider that he likes what he’s seen from Wesco so far in spring camp.

“Bryant’s done a nice job,” Riley told TCI. “Anytime as a freshman, the whole thing is just, can you handle mentally? And then just the grind, the speed of the game, transitioning at his position at receiver and once you transition to the college speed. He’s been able to mentally handle things, and I think he’s a guy that’s transitioned really well with the speed of the game.”

Wesco caught 109 passes for 1,903 yards and 29 touchdowns during his prep career.

Clemson stars rave about freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr.

Wesco has been impressing the offense and defense since joining the program.

Clemson’s football squad sought reinforcements at the wide receiver position, and the arrival of five-star freshman Bryant Wesco could be the answer they’ve been looking for.

As an early enrollee, Wesco enters the scene with sky-high expectations, and rightfully so. With the Tigers in dire need of a dynamic playmaker at the position, Wesco’s coveted recruitment to Clemson only amplifies the anticipation surrounding his potential impact. When practices started, Wesco immediately impressed the defense. After the Tigers’ first spring scrimmage, offensive stars are now raving about the highly touted wide receiver. 

“He’s been great. He came in in January, we had a bunch of pre-spring workouts and throwing sessions, and he was always there. Just being a consistent guy just always showing up,” Clemson tight end Briningstool said. “Ever since practice started, he’s a freak. He just goes out there and makes plays. Great ball skills, take the top off the defense, and I think that’s going to be a big thing that we’ll need to help our offense explode next year.”

If the Tigers passing game can pick things up, it will open up the running game even more for star running back Phil Mafah. This is certainly something Mafah won’t complain about, with he, too, noticing Wesco’s ability early. 

“It was a two-minute drive, and it was a fade ball, and he just tipped the ball and then caught it with one hand, so that was awesome to see,” Mafah said. “He’s a consistent guy, he works, he’s not too cool to work, and he wants to get better, and you can just tell that he takes it seriously, and that’s what it takes.”

Could Wesco be Clemson’s next great wide receiver? We’ll get to see sooner rather than later!

ESPN names Bryant Wesco Clemson’s most important newcomer

Could Bryant Wesco make a difference in his first season with the Tigers?

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff brought in many talented players in their 2024 recruiting class and will need multiple of these commits to perform at a high level for the team to succeed next season.

There is great talent coming in on both offense and defense, but the offensive side of the ball is where the Tigers need some serious help. Clemson needs weapons, and they addressed that with this class.

One of those players addressing the need for playmakers is highly touted wide receiver Bryant Wesco. According to ESPN, he is their most important newcomer for the 2024 season ($$$).

Clemson needs to get more explosive on offense, and a pair of ESPN 300 wide receivers (Wesco and T.J. Moore; No. 50 in 2024) will be counted on in 2024. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Wesco was a star for Midlothian High School (Texas) and should be given ample opportunities to help jump-start a passing game that averaged only 228.4 YPG. A more explosive offense, courtesy of quarterback Cade Klubnik and a group of improved receivers, can help Clemson get back on top of the ACC. — Baumgartner

Clemson lacks Explosiveness, and Wesco has all the tools to be a huge playmaker. While TJ Moore looks like the more refined route runner, Wesco screams a big play threat.

Clemson’s wide receiver room should be very interesting in 2024.

Clemson Labeled as a Loser from College Football’s 2024 Recruiting Cycle by 247Sports

According to 247Sports, Clemson is a loser from the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Clemson has a strong 2024 recruiting class, but it wasn’t strong enough for 247Sports to label them a winner from the recruiting cycle. 

Rather, Clemson has been named a loser in the 2024 recruiting cycle, and the explanation for the label is… interesting. From their perspective, Clemson being outside of the top 10 can’t be happening. 

Typically, Clemson wins in recruiting. They win with top players. They landed two top players this cycle. That list usually has 5-10. When you look at the middle of the pack guys, they have developmental players. I’m not saying that they don’t have players that can help them win. But this is Clemson. They beat Alabama twice in the national championship game. They’re taking a step backward. They should be in the top 5; now they’re out of the top 10.

Let’s talk about this for a second. Clemson is No.11 in the country according to 247Sports rankings, but with the way this writer is speaking, you’d assume they are off the face of the planet and have a recruiting class outside of the top 20. They are right there at No.11, and this class has some excellent talent.

Let’s also reflect on the past. Is this class as highly touted as one of the past? No… but neither was their 2023 class, which ranked No.11 for 247Sports. If being ranked 11 was such a big deal, wouldn’t Clemson’s 2023 class have also suffered? There were even rumblings from analysts saying exactly this last year, and what happened? Well, what happened was that Clemson had one of the best and most impactful freshmen classes in the country.

While I understand the expectation side of things, I would not label Clemson a loser from this recruiting cycle. The talent is there, and this coaching staff has proven they can assess talent at an elite level.