Tag: Bryant Wesco

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.

Clemson Football’s 2024 Recruiting Class After Final 247Sports Player Rankings

Here is a look at Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class with their final 247Sports player rankings.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching crew continue their remarkable work, aiming to replicate the success of their 2023 recruiting triumphs with the incoming 2024 class.

The 2024 prospects showcase promise on paper, with the class finalizing its roster just yesterday. Clemson secured commitments from two preferred walk-ons, Parker Fulghum and Clark Sanderson, providing depth at wide receiver to complement the standout talents already secured.

With these latest additions, Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class stands complete and primed for the upcoming season. Below, we delve into the roster, highlighting each recruit’s placement in the final 247Sports Composite Rankings as Clemson gears up for the challenges of the 2024 campaign.

Clemson Football’s 2024 Recruiting Class

Here is a look at Clemson football’s 2024 recruiting class after adding two preferred walk-on wide receivers.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff did a phenomenal job with their 2023 recruiting class and look to strike the same magic they did in 2023 with their 2024 class. 

The 2024 class looks great on paper, and it looks like the class wrapped things up yesterday. The Tigers added two preferred walk-ons in wide receivers Parker Fulghum and Clark Sanderson, adding depth at wide receiver behind the two studs they have already in this class. 

With these additions, we have a clean, full look at what Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class looks like as the program prepares for the 2024 season. Below is a look at each recruit in the Tigers’ 2024 class and where they are ranked in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Updated 1/31

12 Tigers in the final Rivals250 rankings for the 2024 class

12 Tigers landed in Rivals final Rivals250 rankings for the 2024 recruiting class.

For some teams, recruiting means a lot. For a team like Clemson, it means that much more.

Modern college football is very different from what some of us remember growing up. Year after year, the game changes and differs from what we once knew. Right now, the transfer portal is going wild as teams use the portal to build their teams. Each team is different with the transfer portal, but if you look at a team like Florida State from 2023, a majority of a team’s starting lineup can come directly through the portal.

That is not the case for Clemson, who simply doesn’t use the transfer portal often (or even at all, depending on the season). Therefore, recruiting means everything for Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program. Luckily for Clemson fans, Swinney and his staff are great at recruiting.

Rivals recently released their final Rivals250 rankings for the 2024 class, with 12 Tigers making the rankings. Here is a look at each of those Tigers and where they rank.

Where Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class ranks after finalized Top247

Here is a look at where Clemson’s 2024 recruiting class ranks following 247Sports finalized Top247 rankings.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff have continually done an excellent job recruiting, and that didn’t change with the Tigers’ 2024 recruiting class.

While other programs build their teams through the transfer portal and recruiting, it is ALL recruiting for Clemson, which makes hitting on these recruits that much more essential. Luckily for Clemson fans, Swinney and his guys know how to recruit. 

247Spors recently updated their Top 25 classes after finalizing the Top247 in the 2024 cycle, with Clemson landing at No.12 in the country. 

Clemson continues to shy away from the transfer portal, which means the focus for Dabo Swinney remains on high school recruiting. The Tigers signed one of the top classes in the ACC with a pair of five-stars in linebacker Sammy Brown and wide receiver Bryant Wesco highlighting the haul for the 2024 cycle. Talent development is still the plan of attack for Swinney as he enters 2024 at Clemson.

Clemson had some huge hits in this class, headlined by linebacker Sammy Brown. According to 247Sports composite rankings, Brown is the No.2 linebacker and No.17 overall player in the class.

On the offensive end, Clemson needed help at wide receiver, and they got it in two five-star recruits. Bryant Wesco is a composite 5-star, and T.J. Moore was recently upgraded to a 5-star for 247Sports site rankings.

This class could be yet another fantastic one.

Clemson signee elevated to 5-star by 247Sports

Clemson now has two five-star wide receivers in its 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ rankings.

A Clemson signee in the 2024 recruiting cycle has become a five-star prospect as of Monday.

Wide receiver TJ Moore was elevated from a four-star signee to a five-star signee in 247Sports’ final rankings for the class of 2024, jumping 81 spots in the overall recruiting rankings, rising from No. 102 to No. 21. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound pass-catcher was previously the No. 21 wide receiver and is now 247Sports’ No. 4 wide receiver this cycle.

Moore’s jump in rankings comes after he shined in the All-American Bowl, recording two touchdown grabs and 180 yards on 11 receptions, one of which was an impressive one-handed catch. With his jump, the Tampa, Fla., product now joins Bryant Wesco as a five-star receiver in the Tigers’ 2023 class.

Moore signed with Clemson on Dec. 20 and will join the Tigers this summer ahead of the 2024 season.

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