One of the nation’s top pass-rushers in the class of 2023 is starting to receive a lot of interest and attention from Clemson.
Platte County (Platte City, MO) four-star Chandavian Bradley has been in contact with Clemson defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall for more than a month now. He’ll also be visiting the state of South Carolina sometime in the near future, as his sister is moving to the Palmetto State.
According to Bradley — a 6-6, 215-pound junior — most schools, like Clemson, have told him that they love his size, speed, athleticism and the way he can bend around the edge.
“The thing that sets Clemson apart is the fact that it’s historical,” Bradley said. “Coach (Brent) Venables had a great system while he was there and a lot of that staff is still there. It’s gonna be around the exact same defense that it was when he was there.”
Venables, of course, has since departed to become the head coach at Oklahoma, but Hall, who remains as Clemson’s defensive ends coach, has cultivated a strong relationship with the talented pass-rusher out of Missouri.
“So far, it’s been really good,” he said of his relationship with Hall. “Really smooth sailing. I’ve gotten along with him very, very well.”
While Bradley won’t be able to visit with Hall come Clemson’s Junior Day on March 5 — he has a showcase competition and 7-on-7 tournament that same weekend — he’s hoping to pay a visit to Clemson’s campus, when he eventually travels to visit with his sister, who is in the United States Air Force.
With his sister settled in South Carolina, Clemson certainly presents itself as an intriguing option for Bradley and his family going forward.
Bradley has talked to Clemson about a potential offer. He knows that Clemson will eventually present him with a scholarship offer, but first and foremost, they would like to get him on campus first. Bradley has been made aware of how the Tigers like to do things and understands through some of his recruiting contacts that they’re certainly a program that likes to offer in-person.
As far as his recruitment is concerned, Bradley is currently focusing on the mental aspects of the prospects. Mainly, he’s looking for a place that he can truly call home.
Across his junior campaign, Bradley was able to put on film exactly what he wanted to show college coaches, like Hall. He nearly doubled his sack total from the season prior and he also had seven pass breakups.
In his conversations with Hall, Bradley has been told that Clemson envisions him in an outside linebacker-type role, where he’d obviously rush the quarterback, but have the ability to drop back into coverage in certain sets.
Bradley is very fast and very athletic. At 6-6, 215-pounds, he’s not going to be the biggest defensive lineman or biggest outside linebacker that you see, but he definitely brings a different skill set to the table, which many people would be surprised by.
He sees a lot of similarities in his game to that of Iowa State All-American defensive end Will McDonald IV, who led the nation in sacks this past season. McDonald, who serves as Iowa State’s all-time sack leader, likely would’ve been a top pick come April’s NFL draft, but he elected to return to Ames (IA.) for his senior campaign.
– Photo for this article courtesy of @chandaviann on Instagram
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