Tag: Josiah Thompson

In-state OL gets in touch with Austin, plans upcoming Clemson visit

This standout Palmetto State offensive lineman recently got in touch with Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin and plans to return to Tiger Town in the not-too-distant future. Dillon (S.C.) High School tackle Josiah Thompson – a 6-foot-6, …

This standout Palmetto State offensive lineman recently got in touch with Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin and plans to return to Tiger Town in the not-too-distant future.

Dillon (S.C.) High School tackle Josiah Thompson – a 6-foot-6, 297-pound prospect in the class of 2024 – talked to Austin late last week.

“He invited me to their junior day somewhere around spring,” Thompson said.

Austin isn’t allowed to initiate contact with 2024 recruits yet due to NCAA rules, but he can answer the phone when they call him, so Thompson’s head coach gave him Austin’s number in order for Thompson to be able to reach out to and stay in touch with him.

After being invited by Austin to visit this spring, Thompson intends to make the trip.

“I am excited to (visit), looking forward to seeing everything,” he said. “It will be awesome to see the way things work in their facility, weight room and everything else.”

Austin checked in on Thompson when he made a school stop at Dillon High in January while making the rounds on the recruiting trail.

The only visit Thompson has made to Clemson came last summer, when he had the chance to interact with players and coaches while working out at the Dabo Swinney Camp.

“The thing that stands out the most about Clemson is the love the coaches have for the players,” he said, reflecting on his experience at Clemson, “and how you are able to talk to coaches about football and things outside of football.”

Thompson has collected early offers from South Carolina, NC State, Miami, Kentucky, East Carolina and Coastal Carolina.

Clemson’s policy, of course, has always been to not offer prospects until the summer before their junior year. But Thompson hopes to see the big-time, in-state program come calling with an offer down the road.

“It will mean a lot to me to get an offer from Clemson,” he said.

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Standout in-state OL on radar of Tigers, Gamecocks

A standout Palmetto State prospect is on the recruiting radar for in-state rivals Clemson and South Carolina. Dillon (S.C.) High School 2024 offensive tackle Josiah Thompson told TCI that the Gamecocks have been showing a lot of interest, as has …

A standout Palmetto State prospect is on the recruiting radar for in-state rivals Clemson and South Carolina.

Dillon (S.C.) High School 2024 offensive tackle Josiah Thompson told TCI that the Gamecocks have been showing a lot of interest, as has Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell.

Caldwell has conveyed to Thompson that he looks forward to seeing him play this season and has heard good things about him from his coaches. The two had a chance to work together at the Dabo Swinney Camp in June, and Thompson came away impressed by Caldwell after spending time around him.

Dillon (S.C.) 2024 OL Josiah Thompson with Clemson OL coach Robbie Caldwell at the Dabo Swinney Camp (photo courtesy of @JosiahtThompson on Twitter)

“He is an amazing person and awesome at his job,” Thompson said. “Since then (the camp) our relationship has been growing fast, likewise to being able to talk to him about anything.”

South Carolina, Kentucky and NC State have already offered Thompson, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound sophomore, while North Carolina is another school that has shown interest.

“As being an OL, I am a very humbled player,” Thompson said, describing himself as an offensive lineman. “I know the difference of being mentally tough and physically tough, and I can use that on and off the field. If any of my other OL teammates make a mistake, I know how to correct without making them lose any confidence. I play my games with passion but not emotional, because I know emotions can get you in trouble.”

Living closer to Columbia than Clemson in Dillon, S.C., Thompson grew up in a family of Gamecock fans and has visited South Carolina a few times this summer.

However, Thompson is hoping to earn an offer from Clemson down the road after having a great experience during his first-ever visit to campus for the Swinney Camp this summer.

“What stands out to me the most was the excitement the coaches and their players had that they were able to teach young athletes,” he said, “and how honest they were about your wrongs and told you how to do it right.”