Tag: sammy brown

Where Clemson ranks in every updated 2024 team recruiting rankings

Here is how Clemson currently fares across all major recruiting platforms.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program but many programs across took advantage of the early signing period, which allows teams to lock in their talented recruits to join their program.

The Tigers have had a successful early signing day, landing two offensive linemen in Elyjah Thurmon and Mason Wade while also securing the signings of other commits who have been waiting a long time for this moment. In the ever-changing world of college football, getting players signed and prepared to join the team has become much more important. 

With signing day over, we’ve seen Clemson climb team recruiting rankings as they added more members to their 2024 recruiting class and signed some of the top players around the country. Below is a look at where the Tigers stand in each of the four top recruiting outlets: 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals.

Updated 4/16

Dabo Swinney calls Sammy Brown a ‘natural’ after Clemson’s spring game

Dabo Swinney shared high praise for Sammy Brown following Clemson’s spring game.

Clemson fans were thrilled when the program landed five-star linebacker Sammy Brown.

The young linebacker received tremendous hype as he joined the program, and after Clemson’s Orange and White spring game, you can see why. Brown recorded a sack on his first snap in front of the Tigers fan base, later putting together a complete performance that’ll surely have Clemson fans even more excited about what he can do for the team in 2024.

After the spring game, head coach Dabo Swinney shared praise for Brown, calling him a ‘natural.’

“I mean, he’s a natural,” said Swinney. “You’ve got to remember, this kid played every snap almost, both sides of the ball,” Swinney said. “So now, he’s getting exposed to a lot more defensively, and we’ve kept him at one spot all spring, really trying to just hone him in. I mean, he’s got the speed and the talent to really play wherever, but we’re just trying to really build a good foundation for him.”

Brown’s performance was strong, and fans should expect more as he continues to become more comfortable in a Clemson uniform.

Observations from Clemson’s defense in 2024 spring game

Here are some defensive observations from Clemson’s 2024 spring game.

Clemson’s 2024 spring game featured plenty of takeaways as the Orange team defeated the White team, 27-12, on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

With the obvious caveat that it’s only a spring game, Sammy Brown did nothing to live down the hype. The highly touted recruit, who was named the best linebacker in the nation and 12th-best player overall in the class of 2024, made the first standout play of the day on defense when he rushed off the edge and made what would have been a sack on Cade Klubnik.

Brown, playing for the White team, finished the day with eight total tackles, including his first-quarter sack of Klubnik. He tied with Wade Woodaz, who tied Brown with six solo tackles.

Sophomore Jamal Anderson also impressed for Clemson’s linebacking corps, which is looking for help after Jeremiah Trotter Jr. declared for the NFL Draft. Anderson, playing for the Orange team, made a pick six off a pass from Christopher Vizzina.

Anderson leapt in the air just a few feet in front of Vizzina for a 25-yard score that gave the Orange team a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter.

Later in the first half, Anderson picked off Vizzina again but the play was negated by an offsides penalty called against the orange team.

At halftime, with the Orange team leading 21-12, coach Dabo Swinney gave special recognition to Anderson’s play by saying that his interception return for a touchdown was the biggest play of the first half.

A.J. Hoffler (Orange team) was credited with the second sack of the afternoon, and the first for the white team. He and Jahiem Lawson, the younger brother of former Clemson standout Shaq Lawson, both looked very quick off the edge in Saturday’s game.

Up front, defensive tackle Stephiylan Green was impressed with six tackles. He was credited with four sacks in the stat sheet.

Cornerback Shelton Lewis (Orange team) had a terrific day in the secondary.

Noah Dixon (White team) had a nice break-up on a pass intended for Jackson Crosby when Trent Pearman threw a pass into the corner of the end zone with 3:07 to play.

Five-star freshman linebacker Sammy Brown’s sack on his first-ever snap in Clemson uniform

Five-star freshman linebacker Sammy Brown recorded a sack on his first snap in a Clemson uniform.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program did a fantastic job recruiting their 2024 class and it was evident in the play of five-star freshman linebacker Sammy Brown. 

Of all Clemson’s recruits in the 2024 class, none received more hype and notoriety than Brown. Expectations are high for Brown, who could step into a huge role in Clemson’s defense with former Tigers’ star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. departing for the 2024 NFL draft. Star linebacker Barrett Carter remains with the program, but Clemson’s defense still has a big hole to fill. 

With his play so far in the Tigers Orange and White spring game on Saturday, Brown definitely looks like he could be the guy to fill that vacancy. The stud freshman linebacker recorded a sack on his first snap in a Clemson uniform. It was an awesome play to see and will surely have Clemson fans excited for his future. 

Barrett Carter on Sammy Brown: ‘That kid’s special, to say the least’

Clemson defenders are sharing high praise for new linebacker Sammy Brown.

The Clemson football program landed one of the top recruits in the 2024 class, 5-star linebacker Sammy Brown.

The Tigers needed help at linebacker with the departure of Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and they got exactly that with Brown. There has been some serious hype around the young linebacker, and for good reason, he has all the tools to be one of the best linebackers in the country.

Clemson star linebacker Barrett Carter recently discussed what he’s seen from Brown so far, sharing praise for what Brown is capable of.
“That kid’s special, to say the least. He’s gifted. What I like about Sammy is that he’s very aware that football is such a mental game… he’s been hungry to learn and eager to learn, and he’s put in so much extra time besides what we have mandatory. Just trying to learn the place, he’ll come to me, ask me questions… he’s going to be special, but I’m really impressed with how smart he is,” Carter said.

Carter isn’t the only one who’s been impressed with Brown. Starting linebacker Wade Woodaz had excellent things to say about the freshman, particularly about his work in the weight room.

“He’s a machine in the weight room and on the field. Just steady Eddy, never phases,” Woodaz said. “Makes us all better just by pushing us because this guy is 18 years old coming in here and he’s stronger than most of us.”

Fans should be excited about Brown as he could be the Tigers’ next great linebacker.

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.

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

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.