The Clemson Insider caught up with a Georgia-based linebacker, who was on campus Friday.
Jayven Hall — a 6-foot-1, 218-pound junior — recapped his time on campus, in which he spent a lot of time with Clemson’s defensive coaching staff, checked out practice Friday and sat in on some meetings.
“It was great,” Hall said regarding his visit. “I had a great time.”
The Roswell (Ga.) product spent most of his time with Clemson co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Wesley Goodwin.
“I got to sit through meetings and all that,” he said. “I really liked the defense. The scheme is literally ideal for me. We talked all about football, my school’s defense, our upcoming season. We talked a lot and it was really personal. It was cool to be around everyone on the defensive staff. I was with Coach (Nick) Eason, Coach (Mickey) Conn, everybody.”
Hall got to sit in team meetings and was in the coaches offices with Eason and Goodwin.
“It was different,” he said. “Every other school I’ve visited I haven’t gotten to have one-on-one time with basically the whole defensive staff.
“Everyone’s really cool, like Coach Conn, he coached at Grayson. I’ve been hearing about him being at Roswell. The Roswell-Grayson rivalry has gone back forever. And Coach Eason, nobody can like Coach Eason. He’s just that type of guy. The whole defensive staff is really cool.”
Prior to this visit, Hall had been in contact with Goodwin. He was able to turn in a pretty successful junior season, which put him back on the Tigers’ radar.
In his own words, Hall was “really cool” with Brent Venables and after he left to take the head coaching position at Oklahoma, his interest from Clemson started to die down a bit.
Goodwin has since picked up that baton.
“We started talking a little bit near the end of my season and we talk every now and then,” Hall said of his relationship with Goodwin. “We’ve talked on the phone a couple of times. I came up to see him in person yesterday.”
“I like how he coaches,” Hall continued. “It’s really like you gotta know what you’re about to do, do it right or next-man-up mentality. I like how high-tempo the practice is. Some coaches tend to sit around and watch the practice. He’s running around with them. He’s really into it. Off the field, he’s a very personable, cool, more low-down guy and on the field, it’s all business from him.”
Hall was impressed with what he saw out of Clemson’s linebackers, specifically the team’s starting WILL-backer.
“I don’t know his name, but No. 22 (Trenton Simpson), he was crazy,” Hall said. “We watched him the whole practice. He stood out like head-and-shoulders above everyone else.”
This was not Hall’s first time on Clemson’s campus. He’s participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp before, but this was his first time getting a behind-the-scenes look at Clemson, and needless to say, he was blown away.
“It is crazy,” he said. “Those facilities are insane. All the way from the cafeteria up to the locker room, its head-and-shoulders above all the other schools. And a big thing I saw, that Coach (Goodwin) was emphasizing we saw a lot of coaches, their wives, and their kids running around the facilities. Everyone knows everyone. It’s a big family.”
Hall was at Syracuse last weekend and before that, he went to Memphis in January. This spring, he’s planning on seeing Florida, UCF, Mississippi State, Colorado, N.C. State and Georgia.
While he may be unranked, since the start of the new year, Hall’s seen his recruitment explode. The fast-rising linebacker has picked up offers from Georgia State, ECU, Austin Peay, Charlotte, Memphis, Miami (OH), Kansas, Tulane, Marshall, App State, Liberty, Buffalo, Colorado, Tennessee State, Jacksonville State, Kansas State, USF, Coastal Carolina, UMass and Howard.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” Hall said, “because my freshman and sophomore year, I was really worried because I was getting no attention, nothing at all. That was all the way up until my junior season. Since my season has ended, I’ve gotten 23 offers.”
This past season, Hall recorded 153 tackles and earned co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’s proud of himself, in the fact that he feels like he’s earned what’s coming.
Goodwin and Eason both watched his film and provided some feedback as well.
“He loved my film,” Hall said. “He said I’m an aggressive downhill tackler and then Coach Eason he watched it too and he was just like, ‘I love how you hit people.’
What does that mean to Hall?
It’s great hearing that from a school that I definitely want to go to,” he said, “so, obviously, it makes me feel good knowing that they like how I play.”
Clemson has talked to Hall about a potential offer and he indicated that it should be coming anytime now. He’s hopeful that it’ll happen when they come to watch his spring practice(s).
“That would be great,” he said of receiving a potential Clemson offer. “That would be a hard one to turn down.”
Had a great time at clemson today! Will be back @WesleyGoodwin @CoachEason1 @CoachZachFulmer @dmcdani2 @CoachConn @ClemsonFB @ClemsonInsider pic.twitter.com/QsKh6LtR2F
— Jayven Hall (@hall_jayven) March 12, 2022
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