Tag: Clemson 2024 recruiting class

Two Tigers tabbed as college football 2024 recruits who could play right away

These two Tigers could be immediate impact players in their first season with the team.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff have done a great job recruiting in the 2024 class, even if some don’t seem to believe it. 

While the Tigers didn’t earn a top 5 ranking with this class, the talent is there, and this staff knows how to recruit. The people who were knocking Clemson for their 2023 recruiting class for not being strong enough probably feel pretty foolish now with the way that group played, and the same may end up being said for this 2024 class.

This class has top-tier talent, with 247Sports identifying two Tigers who could play right away for Clemson in 2024. One of which is offensive lineman Elyjah Thurmon. 

Clemson doesn’t go shopping in the portal, which means that the Tigers play more true freshmen than the average contender, including along the offensive line. That’s a role Thurmon could earn, based on the way that he performed at the Polynesian Bowl, where he dominated all week and earned a fourth star.

Thurmon comes with tackle and guard flexibility and, given the Tigers’ struggles to find a consistent presence at guard this past year alongside Marcus Tate, it’s possible that Thurman pushes for a starting spot from the jump. At worst, he projects as someone who can help immediately in the two deep.

Clemson desperately needs help on the offensive line, and while they do return a lot of talent, Thurmon could step up and be an immediate impact player. The Tigers’ offensive line needs a bump, and Thurmon could possibly be that guy.

The next new Tiger mentioned was their top recruit, five-star linebacker Sammy Brown.

We’ve seen it time and time again at Clemson: True freshmen tend to get on the field quickly. That includes at the linebacker position, where those like Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz have played extensively as first-year players. Woodaz and Carter are both ahead of Brown on the depth chart, but there’s an opportunity for snaps with Jeremiah Trotter Jr. off to the NFL.

Few recruits are more physically ready to play on the college level than Brown. A 6-foot-2, 230-pound freakshow of an athlete, Brown should step in right away and compete for playing time. He’s got excellent instincts and is as physical as they come. Expect him to, at worst, be an excellent special teams player in 2024.

True freshmen do get on the field quickly at Clemson, and Brown is one I’m expecting to see early. The vacancy at linebacker for Clemson is real with the departure of Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and Brown will look to be the guy who fills the Barrett Carter role as Carter moves into Trotter’s former role.

Don’t be surprised if both of these new Tigers end up being early impact players.

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.

Where Clemson football’s 2024 recruiting class ranks after National Signing Day

Clemson’s 2024 class is one of the best in the country following National Signing Day.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program, like many others nationwide, capitalized on the signing period to solidify their talented recruits’ commitments. The Tigers emerged triumphant on early signing day, securing the pledges of two promising offensive linemen, Elyjah Thurmon and Mason Wade. Additionally, they finalized agreements with other committed prospects eagerly anticipating this pivotal moment. In the dynamic landscape of college football, the prompt acquisition of signed players has assumed heightened significance.

With signing day festivities concluded, Clemson ascended the team recruiting rankings by bolstering their 2024 recruiting class with top-tier talent from across the nation. Here’s a breakdown of the Tigers’ standing across prominent recruiting platforms: 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals.

247Sports: No. 15, No. 3 in ACC

247Sports Composite: No. 11, No. 2 in ACC

On3: No. 14, No. 3 in ACC

ESPN: No. 15, No. 3 in ACC

Rivals: No. 10, No. 2 in ACC

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 lands linebacker commitment in the 2024 class

Dabo Swinney and the Tigers land commitment from 2024 linebacker Billy Wilkes.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have added a late member to their 2024 recruiting class.

Providence High School (Charlotte, N.C.) linebacker Billy Wilkes announced via X (Twitter) that he had accepted a preferred walk-on offer from Swinney and the Tigers. Clemson adds another linebacker to their 2024 class, a position of need for the program.

“Blessed to announce that I am committed to Clemson University!!” Wilkes posted. “Huge thank you to my family, coaches, teammates and trainers for helping me get to this point.”

While Wilkes isn’t a highly touted recruit, Swinney and this staff don’t offer unless they see something in a player. Wilkes will look to make a statement and prove why he should have been offered a scholarship from the program.

Clemson freshman RB David Eziomume: ‘It’s my time now’

Clemson running back David Eziomume is ready for his time.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program have had some phenomenal running backs during the Swinney era, and the next great running back is ready for his time.

Freshman running back David Eziomume met one of the Tigers’ all-time greats during the Gator Bowl, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. Arguably the best running back in ACC history, Eziomume was clearly ecstatic to meet one of the conference’s all-time greats.

Following meeting Etienne, Eziomume took to X (Twitter) to let everyone know that it’s his time now after meeting Etienne. Could Eziomume be the next guy at running back for the Tigers?

A four-star recruit, Eziomume is ranked as the No.17 running back in the 2024 class and the No.254 overall player by On3 recruiting. He will look to make an immediate impact for the Tigers, though much of that will depend on the decisions of Will Shipley and Phil Mafah on their futures.

Dabo Swinney on Ashton Hampton: ‘He can do anything’

Dabo Swinney believes one of Clemson’s new cornerbacks can do anything.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff once again did an excellent job recruiting their 2024 class, with some new Tigers looking like the real deal.

One of those who looks legit, is cornerback Ashton Hampton. Swinney shared high praise for Hampton recently, explaining how the four-star cornerback can do it all on the field.

“Ashton, those of you who’ve seen him, he can do anything,” Swinney said. “I mean, this guy, he is long. I mean, like a giant, and can play corner. He can play nickel(back), he can play strong (safety), he can play free (safety). I mean, he’s a freaky type of athlete.”

Hampton was an elite cornerback in high school but was versatile beyond just defense. He dominated as a wide receiver and was a standout on the basketball court. With a father who is a coach, Hampton looks like the full package mentally and physically.

“Just really, really advanced from a football standpoint… He’s a great basketball player,” Swinney said. “There’s really nothing he can’t do. Very, very smart kid.”

“His dad is a college head coach. This is a kid that’s been around this his whole life. I mean, you can’t ever have a guy more prepared than Ashton Hampton.”

Hampton is a Tiger fans should look forward to seeing on the field.