Tag: Robert Billings

The Insider Report: Upcoming visitors, what’s next for Clemson’s 2023 class and more

It’s time for this week’s edition of The Insider Report. We hope everyone had a great weekend. Notes on Clemson commits If you’ve been following our recruiting coverage as of late, you’d know that we’ve spoken to a couple of high school head …

It’s time for this week’s edition of The Insider Report.

We hope everyone had a great weekend.

Notes on Clemson commits

If you’ve been following our recruiting coverage as of late, you’d know that we’ve spoken to a couple of high school head coaches, who coach Clemson’s class of 2023 commits. 

We spoke to both Matthew Forester, who coaches five-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina at Birmingham (Alabama) Briarwood Christian School and Ben Reaves, who coaches four-star safety Robert Billings at Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton High School.

With Forester, we asked Briarwood’s head coach about the usage of the run-pass option in the Lions’ offense and how it could benefit Vizzina before he heads off to Clemson.

“That’s something I think for me personally, I got comfortable with this year,” Forester said. “And so, we’re doing a pretty good bit of that throughout the summer and fall camp. It’s something that as the season goes, we’ll bring more and more into that. A couple of big catches from (Week 1) were just RPOs and him reading an out.”

The run-pass option has been a fixture in Clemson’s offense for quite some time now, so getting comfortable with those types of offensive concepts would certainly benefit Vizzina before he graduates into a college offense in January.

“I think it’ll be a neat thing,” Forester continued. “I think (Brandon) Streeter will use that. I think it’ll be an enjoyable part of his growth. I think it’ll be something when he goes to Clemson, there won’t be a concept that he doesn’t feel comfortable translating high school into Clemson.” 

Talking with Reaves, the line of questioning was similar in the sense that it revolved around Billings at the next level, but he gave a better feel for what his expectations are and what position we could see the big-time safety play at the next.

“What he’s got going for him is that he’s got such a big frame,” Reaves said. “He’s so long and so fast, that they can literally mold him into whatever they want him to be. Anywhere from a safety to potentially an outside backer, just because he’s got the body that can do it. The body that can handle it. And the skills to go along with it. 

“I think ultimately, he’s gonna be best fit being a strong safety because that’s just gonna put him closer to contact and that’s what he’s good at — finding the ball, getting to the ball and knocking the crap out of somebody, play after play. I think ultimately that’ll be a role that’ll fit him and he’ll enjoy.”

Commit on what’s next for Clemson’s 2023 class

Speaking of Clemson’s class of 2023 commits, we recently spoke with Alpharetta (Georgia) St Francis High’s Branden Strozier. While the four-star cornerback has enjoyed a strong start to his senior season, we asked him about the uncommitted prospects that he and the rest of the commits are focused on recruiting at the moment.

While we’ve already shed light on those two prospects, Strozier offered his thoughts on recruiting both Phenix City (Alabama) Central high four-star defensive end Tomarrion Parker and Suwanee (Georgia) North Gwinnett high four-star defensive lineman Kayden McDonald.

Parker, who picked up an offer from Clemson on Aug. 11, has already set two gameday visits. As we previously reported, Parker will be on campus for Clemson’s home opener against Furman on Sept. 10 for an unofficial visit. He’ll return to Tiger Town the weekend of Oct. 22 for Clemson’s game against Syracuse.

As for McDonald, who reported a Clemson offer back in May, he announced a commitment date of Oct. 31. Right now, McDonald is set to take his official visit the weekend of Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, for the South Carolina game. Likely, McDonald will also make his way back up to Clemson for a game day visit before he ultimately makes his decision.

“That’s the ones that we are really trying to get,” Strozier said. “Because before them, we were focused on getting Ronan (Hanafin). Once we got Ronan, they are the priorities now. That’s what we are looking to get.”

Prospects lining up game-day visits

We wanted to shed some light on some upcoming game day visits. We fully expect Willis (Texas) five-star quarterback DJ Lagway and Jefferson (Georgia) five-star linebacker Sammy Brown to make gameday visits this fall. Neither one has officially set a date, but the expectation is that it will be settled after Sept. 1, when Clemson’s coaching staff can directly contact both junior prospects.

One prospect that has already set a game day visit, as we previously reported, is Fort Lauderdale (Florida) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star wide receiver James Madison II, who will be at Memorial Stadium for the Clemson-N.C. State game on Saturday, Oct. 1.

“I’m really excited,” Madison said. “I know they go all in for game days. I’m really excited to be up there.”

Another prospect that plans on making a game-day visit to Memorial Stadium this fall is Buford (Georgia) four-star linebacker Jadon Perlotte. The sophomore in the class of 2025 was looking at visiting Clemson this summer, but that didn’t end up materializing.

While he wasn’t able to say which game he was attending, Perlotte said that it’ll be one of Clemson’s first games. It’ll be his first time in Tiger Town since March 12.

Perlotte (6-4, 210) currently ranks as the nation’s No. 5 linebacker and the No. 33 overall prospect in the class of 2025, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

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Come out to support Clemson baseball at Dear Old Clemson’s event on September 30 at the Madren Conference Center. New head coach Erik Bakich will speak and most of next year’s team will be on hand. Get your tickets today or sign up for the Orange level or higher of the Tiger Club to get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events. Dear Old Clemson.

Coach Speak: Coach goes in-depth on what Clemson is getting in DB commit

While Robert Billings’ senior season is already underway, The Clemson Insider wanted to get a better feel for the four-star safety out of Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton High and who he is as a person on and off the field. Who better than his head coach …

While Robert Billings’ senior season is already underway, The Clemson Insider wanted to get a better feel for the four-star safety out of Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton High and who he is as a person on and off the field.

Who better than his head coach at Milton, Ben Reaves?

TCI spoke with Reaves in a phone interview over the weekend. He detailed the Clemson class of 2023 commit’s journey to become the player he is up until how he performed in the season opener of his senior campaign against Lipscomb Academy this past Friday.

“He did really well,” Reaves said. “The thing about his senior season — and this just speaks to his character and the character of some other seniors on the team — we’re returning five starters out of 22. And, we got a lot of sophomores starting, several freshmen. The word that kind of circulates around Robert and our team is that this is a rebuilding year. Robert and some other guys have come together and said, ‘Not on my watch. This isn’t a rebuilding year. We’re gonna reload and do what we do. And I’m gonna make sure that happens.’”

Billings is out there playing with a passion and playing with fire. Not only for the Milton football program, but for all the doubters who are skeptical about the Eagles this season.

In Milton’s 17-7 loss to Lipscomb Academy, which is coached by former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, Billings accounted for seven solo tackles (one for loss), a pass breakup and went 1-of-1 passing for 15 yards on a trick play.

The Nashville-based school is coming off a state championship and the last time they came to the Peach State, they scored 76 points. While the game could’ve gone either way, the Eagles had a busted coverage due to some miscommunication, which Billings was not involved in, and then they went on to miss two field goals. 

“I was proud of him and the team the other night,” Reaves said. “Like I said, returning five starters — a lot of guys that have never touched the field before were playing the No. 20 team in the nation. We fought with them every single play, tooth and nail…regardless, our team fought every play and they didn’t stop until that clock hit zero and Robert was one one of the main ones leading the charge.”

Reaves continued to speak highly of Billings as a player but also wanted to touch on his character as well.

“Just as a person and a player, he’s just such a good example of what it means to be a Milton Eagle,” Reaves said. “He’s one that’s trusted our process, trusted his coaches. In this day and age, where everybody wants to play varsity as a freshman and wear No. 1 as a freshman and not work your way up the totem pole — he’s the one that trusted us when we asked him to do that. Always remained humble through it. Never questioned anything we were doing as coaches. And he’s one I’ll always use as an example to younger kids of when you trust the guys around you and you buy into what the program has to offer for you, good things will happen.”

Billings is a soft-spoken guy in the hallways of Milton High and off the field, but once he puts the pads on, he hits really loud.

“He’s trying to wreak havoc and take somebody’s head off every time he gets the chance to tackle,” Reaves said. “So, he’s definitely that tone setter on defense that you love to have. It also just makes me feel better knowing that he’s the last line of defense. If something were to break down up front, I know he’ll find a way to keep those guys out of the endzone.”

Billings is super athletic and could be a big-time prospect on both sides of the football. His ball skills, movement and speed are just that good. According to Reaves, Billings could be an “incredible” receiver.

“He’s got great hands,” Reaves said. “Normally at the DB position, they say the difference between a DB and a receiver is that one can catch and one can’t, but he can get up there and snag it.”

That’s exactly what Mickey Conn, Wesley Goodwin and Dabo Swinney saw when they recruited Billings to come to Clemson. Billings announced his verbal pledge to Swinney’s program back on July 31, but had informed Clemson’s coaching staff of his decision during the program’s All-In Cookout a week or so prior.

“He’s gonna be a great fit at Clemson,” Reaves said. “Obviously, we’ve had two other guys (Paul Tchio and Joseph Charleston) that signed there that have since both transferred, which is unfortunate…but just what I know about the family atmosphere, the accountability, the All-In mindset — that’s what Robert is. That’s what he craves to be around and he’s gonna thrive in that environment.”

Looking at Billings’ high school career, he sat on the bench for his first two years. He sat there and put faith in the Milton coaching staff and trusted the process. Reaves thinks he’s gonna be able to rely on those moments when he gets to Clemson and continues to grow and thrive there when he goes from being one of the top safeties in the state to back to being a freshman again at one of the top program’s in the nation.

“I have no doubts he’ll do well there and he’ll be All In,” he added.

Once he does arrive at Clemson, what can Clemson fans expect out of Billings?

“The thing about Rob is once he’s on the field, he’s gonna do something to be noticed,” Reaves said. “It’s not gonna take long for the fanbase to pick him out because he’s a heat-seeking missile where the football is and he’s gonna try to do something to get that entire stadium rocking. So, you got a player that not only has all the attributes that you have to have to go to Clemson, but a player that can bring a lot of energy to the stadium and the fanbase. They’re gonna have a blast watching him and waiting for him to make that next big hit that’s gonna get everybody going.”

Is there anything that Billings’ head coach would like to see the big-time safety prospect improve on before he heads to Clemson?

“I think he’s gonna put in the work,” Reaves said. “He’s gonna continue to get better. Just for his age and where he’s at in his career, he doesn’t have big-time deficiencies. There’s not a ton of stuff that he needs correcting before getting to Clemson. Of course, there’s stuff that he can always improve on and he’ll continue to do that, but I think my main goals are more on the personal level. I feel like he’s given so much to this program that I want to make sure that whenever he leaves this program, he feels like we prepared him to be a good man, prepared him for college and what’s at stake there. And felt like we gave him as much as he’s given us.” 

— Photo for this article courtesy of Robert Billings.

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns as one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.  If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Clemson safety commit is All In, gives the latest going into senior season

Ahead of his senior campaign at Riverview (Florida) Sumner High, four-star athlete Kylen Webb wants to make an impact, but he also wants to be healthy. Webb, who committed to Clemson on June 8, following the program’s official visit weekend, …

Ahead of his senior campaign at Riverview (Florida) Sumner High, four-star athlete Kylen Webb wants to make an impact, but he also wants to be healthy.

Webb, who committed to Clemson on June 8, following the program’s official visit weekend, detailed his goals and expectations for his senior campaign. He also touched on last month’s All-In Cookout.

“The cookout was great,” Webb told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview over the weekend. “It was good to get back up with my fellow (future) teammates, really just bond together and see the coaches face-to-face in the facility. Just to be back at Clemson was real good. It’s always good to be up there. I really enjoyed (the Cookout). I brought my family up there — they enjoyed it too. But, it was really just life outside of football and enjoying each other’s company.”

Last month, rumors were circulating on multiple University of Miami message boards that Webb would be visiting Coral Gables at the end of July. Webb took the chance to put those rumors to bed, saying that he did not take a trip to Miami. He informed the coach recruiting him there that he was “good” and that he wasn’t looking anywhere else besides Clemson or doing anything under the table for that matter.

Needless to say, Webb is All-In.

He isn’t the only safety in the class of 2023 that is. Alpharetta (Georgia) Milton High four-star Rob Billings joined Webb as the second safety commit in Clemson’s 2023 recruiting class when he verbally pledged to Dabo Swinney’s program on July 31.

“I’m really happy. I had talked to him and he told me at the cookout that he was gonna commit, so I was really excited,” Webb said of Billings. “I was fortunate to be around him on the OV, but I just spent the cookout around him, getting to know him more. I think it’ll be really good to have another safety up there with me to join the family.”

Webb feels like his and Billings’ skill sets complement each other. According to Webb, Mickey Conn has communicated to him that he’ll play both safety positions and use him on blitzes. Clemson’s safeties coach wants to use Webb, a standout athlete, similar to how he uses sophomore safety Andrew Mukuba.

“I think we both bring something to the table at safety,” Webb said. “Each of us is very athletic. I just like how each coach looks at us and knows that will be contributing to the team and that each of us brings something different to the table, but will both bring an impact to the field.”

Before Webb brings an impact on the field in Tiger Town, he has a senior season to finish out at Sumner High. He was unable to participate in his team’s Jamboree this past Friday and will be held out of Sumner’s first game against Valrico (Florida) Bloomingdale High this Friday, Aug. 26.

Webb has a doctor’s appointment in a week and a half to see how his wrist fracture is healing. If everything goes well, he could be back for the second game of the season against Tampa (Florida) Chamberlain High.

Webb has been nursing a wrist injury since Week 8 of last football season, in either November or December of 202. He knew it was fractured, but opted to play the remainder of the season and underwent surgery in January. A screw was placed in Webb’s wrist, but he suffered a scaphoid fracture, so there’s a slow healing process. Webb ended up getting a second surgery two weeks before the start of school. His doctor’s appointment in the near future will determine if his wrist has healed properly.

Right now, Webb’s main goal for his senior season is to maintain a clean bill of health. He knows that will likely ride on if his fracture has properly healed or not. He just wants to stay healthy and keep working until he gets to Clemson.

“Personal goals — the team really depends on me,” Webb said. “It’s been a big difference not having me back there at safety and also on the offensive side of the ball. It’s been a real impact. We lost two games with me not back there. So, when I get back, I want to be the player that the team depends on and make an impact.”

“Team goals, I actually want to go far in the playoffs,” he continued. “Last year, as a second-year school, we went to the second round of the playoff. I want to go for a longer run this year and hopefully, go for a title.”

Webb said that Clemson wants to see him develop more as a player and continue to have an impact, but the main message to him is that his health is of the most importance, as he’ll be an early enrollee and arrive on campus come January 2023.

He’s in contact with Conn and Wesley Goodwin on a pretty frequent basis. Webb said that they texted him on Saturday morning just to check in on him. They text probably two or three times during the week and try to catch up.

Webb will try to travel to Memorial Stadium for two games this fall. He said that he definitely wants to go to a night game and he thinks that he’ll also likely attend the Miami game on Nov. 19, which Conn has talked up how big of a game that’ll be for the Tigers.

— Photo for this article courtesy of @ky_webb_3 on Instagram.

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns as one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.  If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Clemson ‘felt like home’ to Peach State safety on official visit

The Clemson Insider caught up with Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) three-star Robert Billings after the 2023 safety took his official visit to Clemson this weekend. “It was good,” Billings said in a phone interview Sunday. “I enjoyed spending time with …

The Clemson Insider caught up with Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) three-star Robert Billings after the 2023 safety took his official visit to Clemson this weekend.

“It was good,” Billings said in a phone interview Sunday. “I enjoyed spending time with some of the current players on the roster. We went over to Coach Swinney’s house, I’m sure you’ve seen that video. Just getting to meet all the members of the coaching staff, getting to meet everybody on the team, it just felt like family. It felt like home.”

Billings, of course, is referencing the video below in which Swinney hit a fadeaway jumper over Edison (Miami, Fla.) 2023 four-star wide receiver and Clemson commit, Nathaniel Joseph.

Billings indicated that the highlight of this weekend’s official visit was getting to go to Swinney’s house on Saturday night. He enjoyed getting to speak with Clemson’s head coach and his wife, Kathleen.

Clemson safeties Andrew Mubuka and RJ Mickens served as the Peach State safety’s player hosts this weekend.

“I feel like I was on the team, it was cool,” he said. “I hung out with (sophomore cornerback) Nate Wiggins and (junior safety) Tyler Venables. We all just hung out, me and a couple of other recruits. I just felt like I was a player, as one of the guys.”

Billings was accompanied this weekend by his sisters and his mother. He said that his mom is rooting for Clemson and that she wants him to go there, especially after this weekend’s visit.

With that being said, where does Clemson currently stand in the mix of things?

“They’re definitely a contender in my recruitment,” Billings said. “I think if I were to drop like a top-three, they’d definitely be in there.”

Billings featured Clemson among his top schools last month, along with Oregon, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan and Florida State.

“Just based off me and Coach (Mickey) Conn’s relationship alone, I feel comfortable with what he’s been telling me and the visions he has,” Billings said of Clemson safeties coach/co-defensive coordinator Mickey Conn, in an interview with TCI last month explaining why the Tigers are in his top group.

“He can coach better when I move to the next level. I just felt comfortable when I went there on my visit. It just felt like family up there, like a family vibe, even though they preach that a lot. I just feel comfortable, even after football, I could maybe get a job on the staff later in life. I feel like they would set me up perfectly for life.”

This weekend’s official visit only further confirmed how Billings feels about the program. The first time he visited Tiger Town, he got a good grasp of things, but this visit put things over the top, as the Peach State safety got to see what the Clemson program was all about.

“They just preached family,” Billings continued. “It really felt like a family. It felt like home. Coach Swinney, he really likes his former players. He has 28 former players on his staff. He takes care of the guys, who got their degrees and try and put them into the program. They really preach education, get your degree and graduate.”

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Watch: Dabo Swinney nails a fadeaway jump shot over recruit

Dabo Swinney was having a blast hosting recruits over the weekend.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was having fun this weekend, but not just on the football field.

Hosting a loaded group of recruits over the weekend, Swinney showcased his skills on the basketball court. In a one-on-one with a recruit, Swinney drilled a fadeaway jump shot. Here’s the clip from three-star safety Robert Billings’ Twitter account.

Billings was one of 31 2023 recruits that officially visited Clemson this weekend, with five-star defensive lineman Peter Woods highlighting the group. All four of Clemson’s class of 2023 commits were also in attendance.

Although Swinney was caught on video, this isn’t the first time Swinney has taken the court, as men’s basketball head coach Brad Brownell has stated in the past that Swinney likes to shoot around.

“Coach Swinney does show up and play basketball,” Brownell said in 2018. “He’s not there all the time. He has other things to do. He shows up in the offseason.”

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Watch: Swinney shows off his basketball skills during official visit weekend

Clemson hosted 31 official visitors this weekend with Saturday’s nightcap taking place at Dabo Swinney’s house. In the video below, courtesy of Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) 2023 three-star safety Robert Billings on Twitter, you can watch Clemson’s head …

Clemson hosted 31 official visitors this weekend with Saturday’s nightcap taking place at Dabo Swinney’s house.

In the video below, courtesy of Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) 2023 three-star safety Robert Billings on Twitter, you can watch Clemson’s head coach hit a jumper over Edison (Miami Fla.) four-star wide receiver commit Nathaniel Joseph.

Swinney’s reaction is priceless.

Peach State DB talks favorites; why Clemson made the cut

One of Clemson’s top safety targets in the class of 2023 dropped his top group of schools on Saturday afternoon. Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) three-star safety Robert Billings tells The Clemson Insider that he is now down to Clemson, Oregon, Kentucky, …

One of Clemson’s top safety targets in the class of 2023 dropped his top group of schools on Saturday afternoon.

Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) three-star safety Robert Billings tells The Clemson Insider that he is now down to Clemson, Oregon, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan and Florida State,

As far as his recruitment is concerned, Billings — a 6-foot-2, 190-pound rising senior — is in the process of setting up his official visits. There remains a possibility that Billings could visit for Clemson’s official visit weekend from June 3-5, but he remains unsure whether he will be able to attend as of Saturday.

Regardless, both Wesley Goodwin and Mickey Conn are pushing for him to make the trip.

“They came to see me multiple times in person since (April),” Billings said. “They came to see me practice and came to see me during school. Them taking the time out of their days — I know they have a lot going on with the program and there are a lot of other prospects — but just taking the time to come see me practice and just lay eyes on me, makes me feel like I’m wanted and a priority to them.”

Here’s a summary of Billings’ thoughts on each school in his top-8.

Clemson

“Just based off me and Coach Conn’s relationship alone, I feel comfortable with what he’s been telling me and the visions he has. He can coach better when I move to the next level. I just felt comfortable when I went there on my visit. It just felt like family up there, like a family vibe, even though they preach that a lot. I just feel comfortable, even after football, I could maybe get a job on the staff later in life. I feel like they would set me up perfectly for life.”

Oregon

“With Oregon, just based off me and  Coach (Dan) Lanning’s relationship alone, I feel like they have a good chance of landing me. Me and Coach Lanning, he was at Georgia recently, but he took the job at Oregon. Me and him are very close, so I feel comfortable with going there.”

Kentucky

“Coach (Frank) Buffano, the safeties coach, he’s been in contact. Also, the d-line coach (Anwar Stewart) has come and seen me at practice a couple of times. I just feel comfortable with the relationship that me and Kentucky has been building.”

Ole Miss

“They were my first offer. They really took a chance on me and other schools and like other schools saw that and also offered me a scholarship too. They really started off my recruitment. They play four safeties, so I would have a good chance to get on the field somewhere. Ole Miss has been in my recruitment since Day 1.”

Duke

“They have a good education and I feel like I could play early there. (Safeties) Coach (Lyle) Hemphill has been like helping me with the situation given. If I come in and work hard, I could have the chance to play early.”

North Carolina

“They’ve had an interest in me before, but they had a new defensive staff, so things had got lost in the process. They had recently just come up to my school and offered me a scholarship. So, I want to get to learn more about North Carolina.”

Michigan

“I’m from Michigan. I’ve recently built a relationship with Coach Jay Harbaugh, the safeties coach and Coach (Jesse) Minter, he’s the defensive coordinator. He came to see me practice also. I’m trying to get a date with them in June for an official.”

Florida State

“Me and Coach (Marcus) Woodson — the defensive backs coach — I went up there a couple of months ago and I liked the vibe up there. They preach hard work and I’m a hard worker. I feel like I’d fit in with the culture.”

— Photo for this article courtesy of Robert Billings.

Congratulations! You did it! You graduated! Now is the time to preserve your diploma in a custom frame. Here at Clemson Variety & Frame, we build all our frames in-house – from the frame to the mats and etchings to the installation – to guarantee the quality. You worked hard for your degree. Trust us to show your diploma in the best light possible.

Priority Clemson safety target dishes on recruitment

The Clemson Insider caught up with a priority target for Clemson in the 2023 recruiting class on Friday afternoon. Robert Billings dished on what he’s been hearing from Clemson since he last stepped foot on campus nearly a month ago, as well as the …

The Clemson Insider caught up with a priority target for Clemson in the 2023 recruiting class on Friday afternoon. Robert Billings dished on what he’s been hearing from Clemson since he last stepped foot on campus nearly a month ago, as well as the latest on his recruitment

Clemson has remained a steady player in the three-star safety out of Georgia’s Milton High School’s recruitment, ever since the Tigers offered Billings — a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior in the 2023 class — on Saturday, March 5.

“They want to get me back up there for the spring game,” he said. “They just want me to come back on campus again. We talk weekly. I’ve just been more comfortable talking with (Coach Mickey Conn) almost every day. I’ve been in contact with the defensive coordinator, Coach (Wesley) Goodwin too. I’ve just gotten more comfortable with them, putting a face to a name.”

Billings is unsure if he’ll come for Clemson’s spring game, which is next Saturday, April 9, but he does want to get on campus again in the near future. He imagines that if he can’t get up to Clemson for the spring game, then he’ll likely make his way back on campus this summer.

Oftentimes throughout the recruitment process, coaches will show prospective recruits like Billings how they would use them in their defense. And in doing so, they’ll use a current player as an example.

That’s not the case with Billings, though. While he was at Clemson last month, the Tigers showed him some film of Isaiah Simmons. They view Billings similarly and he’s pretty confident that he can be a guy who helps in the run game, plays in the box and guards receivers, just like Simmons did at Clemson.

“They see me as a high-safety, but I can play in the box too,” he said,” and come down and guard tight ends and slots.”

As far as his recruitment is concerned, Billings indicated that things are coming down to the final stages. He has his top schools set but will wait to release that list at a later date.

Right now. Billings is seeing the last places that he wants to see before he starts to set official visits. Billings was at Duke last week, he’ll be going to Ole Miss and is trying to set a visit with Louisville and possibly Tennessee.

He hasn’t set up any official visits just yet but said that he’s been in contact with some coaches about potentially setting them up down the line. When it’s all said and done, Billings will likely be taking one of his official visits to Clemson.

“They make sure that they know I’m wanted there and they show a lot of interest,” he said. “It means a lot that they keep their interest because some schools have offered me and I haven’t heard back from them since. They just don’t keep in contact with me like Clemson does and other schools do. It just means a lot to me, knowing that they keep prioritizing me.”

— Photo for this article courtesy of Robert Billings’ Twitter page: (@RobBillings12)

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Georgia DB talks ‘mind-blowing’ Clemson offer with TCI

On his car ride back home, Robert Billings had to keep pinching himself. It’s gonna take some time for that shock to wear off. The junior safety out of Georgia’s Milton High School had just been offered by Clemson. Prior to announcing his offer on …

On his car ride back home, Robert Billings had to keep pinching himself.

It’s gonna take some time for that shock to wear off.

The junior safety out of Georgia’s Milton High School had just been offered by Clemson. Prior to announcing his offer on Twitter, Billings talked with The Clemson Insider in an exclusive phone interview. To say he was excited would be an understatement.

“I’m still mind blown right now,” Billings said. “It’s just mind-blowing. But, me and Coach Conn had a conversation before and he told me they don’t offer kids that hadn’t been on the campus. He wanted to get me on campus as soon as possible and he extended the offer to me.”

He was on campus on Saturday for Clemson’s Elite Visit Day and left with an offer from Clemson in hand.

What does that mean to Billings?

“All my hard work has paid off,” he said. “I’m being recognized by one of the greatest programs in the nation.”

Conn told Billings that he had been watching him for a long time and Clemson wanted to see at least two years of varsity film.

“He said he liked me as a person, liked my family, liked my parents, who came on the visit with me,” Billings said of Conn. “He likes us as a family and is connected with us.”

Saturday’s visit provided Billings with the opportunity to get a better feel for Clemson’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Billings got more time to sit down and talk with Conn and they got to get to know each other. According to Billings, Conn provided some insight regarding his coaching style, how he develops players and how Clemson develops you as a person, even after you play football.

Billings had the chance to shake Dabo Swinney’s hand and pose for a picture with Clemson’s head coach. Swinney spoke for over two hours and showed a presentation to the group of prospects on campus.

Where does Clemson currently stand in Billings’ recruitment?

“Definitely one of my top choices right now,” he said. “Definitely one of my top schools and I would definitely consider going here, especially after the offer.”

Clemson certainly helped itself this weekend with Billings and his recruitment, especially with its family atmosphere.

“A lot of colleges say family, but this was really family,” Billings said. “The coaches have the kids on the practice field running around just being kids. It just feels like a family vibe. Their wives are. It’s family for real.”

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Top talent flocking to Tiger Town for Clemson’s ‘spring elite day’

Clemson is set to host a slew of top prospects today for its second junior day of the year, which the Tigers are dubbing their “spring elite day” for recruits in the class of 2023. Among the headliners expected to be in attendance is Central (Phenix …

Clemson is set to host a slew of top prospects today for its second junior day of the year, which the Tigers are dubbing their “spring elite day” for recruits in the class of 2023.

Among the headliners expected to be in attendance is Central (Phenix City, Ala.) five-star A.J. Harris, the nation’s No. 2 cornerback and No. 17 overall prospect in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder has made multiple trips to Tiger Town and is a priority target for the Tigers. Last September, he released a top seven comprised of Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Georgia and Ohio State.

Harris will be joined on campus by a host of other talented defensive backs, including Harris’ teammate at Central, cornerback Quintavious Billingsley; Lake Mary (Fla.) four-star cornerback Braedan Marshall; Eagles Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.) three-star cornerback Colton Hood; Daniel (Central, S.C.) cornerback Misun Kelley; North Oconee (Bogart, Ga.) cornerback Khalil Barnes; Loachapoka (Auburn, Ala.) cornerback Jacorious Hart; Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) three-star safety Robert Billings; and A.C. Reynolds (Asheville, N.C.) safety Dashawn Stone.

Another headliner slated to be on hand for the spring elite day is Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) four-star offensive lineman Monroe Freeling.

It will mark his first visit to Clemson since attending the Florida State game in late October of last year. He was also on campus last June to participate in the Dabo Swinney Camp, after which he picked up an offer from the Tigers.

Freeling said during a recent interview with The Clemson Insider that the Tigers “stand highly” in his recruitment heading into today’s visit.

“I really loved the culture there when I first went up and I’ve been maintaining a good relationship with (offensive line) coach (Thomas) Austin,” he said, “and I’m just looking forward to growing it some more when I get out there.”

Along with Clemson, which is heavily pursuing Freeling, he named Miami and Notre Dame as a couple of schools that have been recruiting him the hardest.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Freeling is the No. 1 prospect in South Carolina, No. 9 offensive tackle nationally and No. 82 overall prospect for the 2023 class.

South Point (Belmont, N.C.) four-star offensive lineman Sullivan Absher will also return to Clemson after picking up an offer from the Tigers in February – an offer that he told TCI he “had been working for, for a very long time.”  He previously traveled to Clemson twice during this past season – first for the Boston College game in October and then for the Wake Forest game in November.

Another big-time offensive lineman will be on campus today as well in Eagles Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.) four-star tackle Zechariah Owens.

As for the defensive linemen expected to be among the junior day visitors, there are several prominent prospects, namely St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) four-star David Ojiegbe, Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.) four-star Hunter Osborne, Rome (Ga.) four-star Stephiylan Green, Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.) four-star T.J. Searcy and Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) four-star A.J. Hoffler.

A bunch of other standout class of 2023 prospects are on the expected guest list for the spring elite day, as well, including Hickory Ridge (Harrisburg, N.C.) four-star wide receiver Christian Hamilton; Bridgeland (Cypress, Texas) four-star tight end Reid Mikeska; Denmark (Alpharetta, Ga.) four-star linebacker Dee Crayton; Fairfax (Va.) four-star linebacker Tony Rojas; F.W. Buchholz (Gainesville, Fla.) three-star wide receiver Creed Whittemore; Maiden (N.C.) High School three-star wide receiver Chris Culliver; Phoebus (Hampton, Va.) three-star athlete Jordan Bass; Sumter (S.C.) athlete Zyeir Gamble; and Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) running back Jarvis Green.

A few notable 2024 prospects are planning to visit Clemson today, too, in Carrollwood Day (Tampa, Fla.) four-star defensive back Tavoy Feagin, Weddington (Matthews, N.C.) tight end Brooks Mauk and Towers (Decatur, Ga.) wide receiver/cornerback Keshawn Weathers.

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