Tag: sammy brown

Nation’s top LB talks latest visit, what appeals most about Clemson

The country’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class returned to Tiger Town last weekend. After attending Clemson’s home opener against Furman on Sept. 10, Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown was back on campus for the Tigers’ 30-20 …

The country’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class returned to Tiger Town last weekend.

After attending Clemson’s home opener against Furman on Sept. 10, Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown was back on campus for the Tigers’ 30-20 victory over NC State at Death Valley on Saturday night.

“Really enjoyed getting back for a night game and really being able to experience a game in Death Valley under the lights,” Brown told The Clemson Insider. “The fans (Saturday) night were unbelievable, more electric than any other time. They were super loud and passionate about the game.”

Brown, who received Clemson’s first class of 2024 offer back in March, made Saturday’s visit with his parents.

“They both enjoyed it very much and really liked catching up with all the staff and coaches,” he said. “There are a lot of connections there because my parents went to Furman when a lot of those coaches were there. Coach (Joey) Batson, the strength coach, was my dad’s coach at Furman.”

Speaking of the coaches, what did Brown hear from head man Dabo Swinney, defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin and other members of the Tigers’ staff on Saturday?

“Really a lot of the conversations with the coaches were just catching up,” he said. “Even with all the chaos going on it was good to catch up with them and just be able to talk about stuff other than recruiting.”

Brown gave his thoughts on Clemson’s 5-0 start to the season and what he saw Saturday from Goodwin’s defense, which recorded three sacks, two turnovers and held NC State to only 34 rushing yards on 21 carries.

“They have been playing lights out all year,” he said of the Tigers. “They’ve battled adversity in multiple different ways and have stepped up to the challenge.

“I thought the defense played very good against a solid NC State offense and proved their worth, especially considering the situation with the DBs.”

The Tigers are one of many prominent suitors for Brown, whose extensive list of more than two dozen offers also includes schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Tennessee, to name some.

When it comes to Clemson as a college option under consideration, the 6-foot-2, 227-pound junior said it’s “definitely” the culture that appeals to him the most.

“They’ve got one of the best cultures in college football and are definitely doing the right thing,” he said. “Coach Swinney has been solid on his way of doing things because it’s worked. They’re a very family driven program and relationships are very important. That’s something that me and my parents can appreciate.”

Brown is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class by both 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite rankings. He is tabbed as the No. 5 overall prospect in the country for his class by 247Sports, while the 247Sports Composite considers him the No. 9 overall prospect nationally.

Brown traveled to Tennessee for its game vs. Florida on Sept. 24 and visited Ohio State for its Sept. 3 season opener against Notre Dame. He told TCI he thinks his next trip will be to Georgia, but he doesn’t have anything planned beyond that as of now.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

The Insider Report: Multiple 5-star updates, new class of 2023 developments & more

It’s time for this week’s edition of The Insider Report. We hope everyone had a great weekend. It was certainly a great weekend for the Tigers as they earned a top-10 victory and got their 37th consecutive home win in what was an awesome atmosphere …

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

We hope everyone had a great weekend. It was certainly a great weekend for the Tigers as they earned a top-10 victory and got their 37th consecutive home win in what was an awesome atmosphere at Death Valley.

Grisham set to check out 2025 Ohio QB

The Clemson Insider has learned through a source that Tyler Grisham will be traveling to Ohio ahead of the team’s game against Boston College this Saturday. Clemson’s wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator will be on hand to watch Findlay (Ohio) 2025 quarterback Ryan Montgomery, who has emerged as a prime sophomore target for the Tigers.

Clemson is said to be doing a good job in its pursuit of Ryan, who is the younger brother of one of the nation’s top offensive linemen in Luke Montgomery, an Ohio State pledge. Clemson was a finalist in Luke’s recruitment but wasn’t able to beat the allure that a program like Ohio State has on an in-state prospect.

As for Ryan, he’s been in contact with Brandon Streeter and has had several calls with Clemson’s offensive coordinator.

It’s likely that Ryan, who already holds several Power Five offers from schools like Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee, will be in attendance with his parents for Clemson’s matchup against Louisville at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12. 

New class of 2023 developments

We have some information to pass along regarding two Peach State prospects that Clemson is pursuing in the class of 2023. 

Over a week after reporting an offer from Clemson, Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee three-star defensive back Khalil Barnes took to Twitter to announce that he would be reopening his recruitment, and so walking back his pledge from the Demon Deacons.

Barnes has talked pretty candidly about his affinity for Dabo Swinney’s program and his relationship with Mickey Conn. Once Clemson’s co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach pulled the trigger on a scholarship offer, this seemed like a development that could arise, but Barnes was still committed to Wake Forest at the time.

“It was definitely crazy. I’m blessed,” he said when asked about his reaction to receiving an offer. “I was really happy where I was…I was just kind of in the moment. I was just proud and I knew how hard I had worked for it. It was cool to finally get that one. Coach Conn gave me something to think about, but I just want to focus on helping my team win a state championship.”

Conn brought up a conversation that he had with Barnes and his father back in June.

In that conversation, which Barnes detailed in an interview with TCI, Conn was honest and upfront about Clemson’s intentions. According to Barnes, Conn said that he would totally understand if they both hated him and Clemson, after having not pulled the trigger on an offer at the time.

​​”Just knowing that he remembered that conversation vividly and was able to be a man of his word and produce the offer, it shows what kind of man he is,” Barnes said of Conn.

Now, there remains a good chance that Barnes will have the opportunity to play for Conn at the next level.

The next target we wanted to touch on is Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.) three-star running back Jordan Louie. We can tell you that Clemson stopped by the West Virginia pledge’s school this past Friday.

He recently told TCI that the Tigers are starting to show a lot of interest in him.

Back in March, he informed TCI that he sent his film to both CJ Spiller and Tyler Grisham because he plays both running back and wide receiver. According to Louie, Grisham told him that his film was impressive.

Louie told us he’s looking to visit for a game and that Clemson will potentially give him an opportunity to be on the team.

We’ll keep an eye on this development as Clemson keeps its option available at the running back position.

OL target has ‘awesome’ visit to Clemson

Among the many top prospects in attendance for Clemson’s top-10 win over NC State on Saturday night was this priority offensive line target.

Tuscarora (Leesburg, Va.) four-star Fletcher Westphal took an unofficial visit to Death Valley for the Tigers’ 30-20 victory over the Wolfpack.

“It was awesome,” Westphal told TCI in a message. “I got there early and they toured me around the campus and I could see the fans already set up at 1:30 pm tailgating. The excitement was already building that early. It just kept building closer it got to game time.

“I got to meet the team at the top of the hill at the rock before they enter the field before the game. That was crazy. One of my friends saw me on TV in the crowd.”

Westphal also got to spend a good amount of time with both offensive line coach Thomas Austin and offensive player development coach Tyrone Crowder, which he said he didn’t expect.

Originally Westphal was supposed to visit for the Louisville game on Nov. 12 but elected to travel down to Clemson this past weekend instead.

“I was planning for a November visit, but I’m definitely glad I made this game!” he said.

Update on nation’s No. 1 LB after latest Clemson visit

Clemson again played host to the nation’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 class this past weekend.

Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown returned to Tiger Town to take in the NC State game. He made the trip with his mom and dad, both of whom he said enjoyed the visit “very much and really liked catching up with all the staff and coaches.”

Brown also attended Clemson’s home opener against Furman, where both of his parents went to college when different members of the Tigers’ staff were there. So there’s a lot of connections between Clemson staffers and Brown’s parents, including Joey Batson, Clemson’s longtime director of strength training who previously served as the first full-time director of strength training at Furman.

Brown told TCI he really enjoyed getting back to Clemson for a night game and being able to experience a game at Death Valley under the lights. “The fans (Saturday) night were unbelievable, more electric than any other time,” he said.

We asked Brown, who has visited campus numerous times, what most appeals to him about Clemson when he thinks about it as a potential college option. He said, “Definitely their culture.”

“They’ve got one of the best cultures in college football and are definitely doing the right thing,” he said.

Brown traveled to Tennessee for its game vs. Florida on Sept. 24 and visited Ohio State for its Sept. 3 season opener against Notre Dame. He told us he thinks his next trip will be to Georgia but he doesn’t have anything else planned besides that as of now.

Clemson visit puts cherry on top for top cornerback target

The cornerback prospect who collected Clemson’s first offer at his position when the Tigers began dispensing offers to 2024 recruits back in June was on hand at Death Valley for the NC State game.

Carrollwood Day (Tampa, Fla.) four-star Tavoy Feagin made the trip to Tiger Town over the weekend with his parents and little brother. He told TCI that he “really enjoyed the visit” and “how crazy the atmosphere was” stood out to him.

Feagin spent plenty of time with cornerbacks coach Mike Reed, as well as Dabo Swinney. According to Feagin, Clemson’s head coach told him that he truly feels like Feagin would be a perfect fit with the Tigers’ program.

Feagin’s father, Michael, was a defensive back at Alabama in the 1990s when Swinney was on the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff.

On Sunday, Feagin seemed to hint that Alabama shouldn’t necessarily be considered the sure bet to land his commitment just because of his dad’s ties to the Tide. Feagin tweeted, “My dad had his time, now it’s time for me to make my own decisions.”

We believe the Tigers are in a great spot with Feagin coming out of the weekend’s visit, which he told TCI “really just made Clemson even better,” adding that Clemson is “already a place I can call home and this visit really put a cherry on the top.”

Feagin told us he hopes to return to Clemson for the Miami game on Nov. 19.

He is ranked as high as the No. 73 overall prospect in the 2024 class by 247Sports.

5-star ATH very impressed by Death Valley

A five-star prospect, regarded as one of the best players in the 2024 class regardless of position, came away very impressed by the environment at Death Valley during Clemson’s 30-20 victory over NC State.

Buford (Ga.) High School athlete Khalil “KJ” Bolden (pictured above) gave Death Valley rave reviews in a comment to The Clemson Insider.

“The atmosphere was electric,” he said. “Words can’t explain how much energy was in this stadium. I’m talking before the kickoff and after the game. This has to be one of the best CFB environments to play in. Go Tigers.”

Bolden, who received an offer from Clemson back on June 1, is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the nation’s No. 1 safety and No. 4 overall prospect in the country for the 2024 class.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Star-studded visitors headed to Death Valley for Clemson-N.C. State game

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. game against N.C. State at Death Valley. Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-N.C. State game: A couple of …

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. game against N.C. State at Death Valley.

Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-N.C. State game:

A couple of headliners among the recruits expected to be in attendance are a handful of five-stars in the 2024 and 2025 class, respectively. Jefferson (Ga.) linebacker Sammy Brown, Buford (Ga.) athlete KJ Bolden, Buford (Ga.) linebacker Jadon Perlotte and Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day School offensive tackle David Sanders, Jr.

Sanders is the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports, which tabs Bolden and Brown as the No. 1 safety and No. 1 linebacker, respectively, in the 2024 class. 

Clemson, of course, doesn’t offer recruits as young as Sanders, per the program’s policy. But the elite o-line prospect would love to add Clemson to his offer list in the future.

“That offer would mean the world to me,” he told The Clemson Insider back in May. “Clemson is definitely one of the schools that I like the most. So, that offer would mean the world. Knowing the coaches and them knowing my family, that just means even more. And then getting back down there and building that relationship with Coach Swinney and Coach Austin, it would just be great.”

Saturday will be of relative importance for Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin, as Clemson is set to host two of the Palmetto State’s top prospects in Woodland (Dorchester, S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle and Dillon (S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Josiah Thompson.

The 247Sports Composite considers Pringle and Thompson to be interchangeable Nos. 1 and 2 in the rankings.

Additionally, Greenville (S.C.) High School four-star Blake Franks is planning to attend Saturday’s game. Franks (6-5, 310) participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp this summer and visited Clemson multiple times since this past March. He received an offer from Clemson in late July.

He has heard from Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin and other members of the Tigers’ staff since the calendar turned to Sept. 1, when college coaches across the country could begin directly contacting junior prospects in the class of 2024.

“He (Austin) told me I’m a big priority,” Franks said to TCI recently, “and that he’s going to come to one of our games this year.”

Franks holds more than a dozen scholarship offers, including offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State and South Carolina along with Clemson.

He told TCI earlier this month that while he didn’t know at the time which schools comprise his top five, he definitely thinks Clemson “is high up there” on his list.

Perhaps the most intriguing prospect on the offensive side of the football that will be in The Valley this Saturday is Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Day School 2024 four-star quarterback Jake Merklinger. 

The top-100 national recruit and the No. 9 ranked quarterback in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite rankings, has made three trips to Clemson in the last calendar year. While he hasn’t yet boasted an offer from the Tigers, he is firmly on their radar and moved up their recruiting board after his performance at Swinney Camp earlier this summer.

A couple of big-time receiver prospects are expected to be on hand as well in Burlington (N.C.) Hugh M. Cummings four-star Jonathan Paylor, Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) four-star Alex Taylor,  Cass (Cartersville, Ga.) four-star Sacovie White and King George (Va.) three-star Mekhai White.

The Clemson Insider originally reported that Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star James Madison II would be in attendance, but his status for Saturday’s game is currently unknown with Hurricane Ian lashing through Florida.

Clemson will also play host to Perry (Ga.) Dakari Anderson, an intriguing receiver prospect in the class of 2024, holds a lone offer from Texas A&M. 

Carrollton (Ga.) 2024 four-star tight end Caleb Odom announced that he will be in The Valley this weekend. Odom, who is considered to be a top-15 tight end in his class by the 247Sports Composite rankings, told The Clemson Insider back in August that he had been invited to some camps, but there was no hard interest from the Tigers just yet.

That appears to have changed as Odom, who will be at Saturday’s contest versus N.C. State, said that this weekend is “gonna be crazy.”

Switching over to the defensive side of the football, one of the top defensive back prospects planning to visit Clemson for Saturday’s game is Tavoy Feagin, a four-star cornerback from Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, Fla.

Feagin, a 6-foot, 170-pound junior, was the first player at his position to receive an offer from Clemson when the Tigers began dispensing offers to class of 2024 recruits back on June 1.

After traveling to Clemson for an unofficial visit in early March, Feagin made his way back to campus on June 2. Later in June, he included the Tigers among his top 10 schools, along with Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, North Carolina, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

“The reason why I put Clemson in my top 10 was because I really like the coaching staff and the atmosphere,” he said to TCI after dropping the list.

Feagin is ranked as high as the No. 73 overall prospect in the 2024 class by 247Sports.

The other top defensive back prospect that will be in attendance is Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith four-star cornerback Asaad Brown.

Brown — ranked as the nation’s No. 9 cornerback and No. 116 overall prospect in the class of 2024 by 247Sports — dropped a top-10 list earlier this month featuring Clemson along with Arkansas, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, LSU, Florida State, North Carolina, NC State and Penn State.

Among other notable recruits on Clemson’s anticipated guest list for Saturday’s game are Central (S.C.) D W Daniel 2023 wide receiver Jaylen Brown-Wallace, Lawrenceville (Ga.) 2024 four-star defensive lineman Justin Greene, Buford (Ga.) 2024 four-star defensive end KingJoseph Edwards, Chattanooga (Tenn.) Christian School 2024 four-star athlete Boo Carter, Pike Road (Ala.) 2024 four-star defensive lineman Malik Blocton, Taylor (Katy, TX.) 2024 three-star tight end Ian Flynt, Ponte Vedra (Fla.) 2024 three-star offensive lineman Jake Guarnera, Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) kicker Nolan Hauser, Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) 2024 RB Turbo Richard, Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian Academy 2025 four-star running back Gideon Davidson, 2025 Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia) School 2025 tight end Marshall Pritchett, Buford (Ga.) 2026 defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright and Cass (Cartersville, Ga.) 2026 quarterback Brodie McWhorter.

Clemson 2023 quarterback commitment Christopher Vizzina of Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christin School, offensive line commit Harris Sewell of Permian (Odessa, TX.), defensive end commit AJ Hoffler of College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy, linebacker commit Jamal Anderson of Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek and offensive line commit Ian Reed of Vandegrift (Austin, TX.) will also be in The Valley on Saturday.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Country’s top-ranked LB recaps ‘really good time’ in Tiger Town

One of the headliners among the prospects on hand for Clemson’s game against Furman last Saturday was Jefferson (Ga.) High School five-star Sammy Brown, whose parents actually attended Furman. The Clemson Insider caught up with the nation’s …

One of the headliners among the prospects on hand for Clemson’s game against Furman last Saturday was Jefferson (Ga.) High School five-star Sammy Brown, whose parents actually attended Furman.

The Clemson Insider caught up with the nation’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 class about his experience on campus for the Tigers’ 35-12 win over the Paladins.

“I had a really good time (Saturday), wasn’t anything special but was great to catch up with the coaches and talk to them in real life,” Brown said.

The 6-foot-2, 227-pound junior appreciates the friendly nature of the conversations he’s able to have with defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin, head coach Dabo Swinney and Clemson’s coaching staff.

“I was able to talk with the staff like friends basically,” he said. “Just talking about high school football and doing things outside of recruiting. Me and Coach Goodwin talked about the upcoming hunting season and what not. They’re all really easy to talk to!”

Brown added that he has “a great relationship” with the Tigers’ staff.

“Like I said, they’re really easy to talk to and I enjoy having conversations with them!” he said.

The part of Saturday’s visit that stood out most to Brown was seeing the Tigers wear “E11A Strong” T-shirts during Tiger Walk prior to the game to show support for redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee’s younger sister, Ella, who is battling brain cancer.

“I thought the biggest thing of the day was what they did for Bryan Bresee’s sister,” Brown said. “They all wore the same shirt that said ‘E11A’. I thought that was really cool and it really shows that family that Clemson has.”

Brown became the first prospect in the 2024 class to receive an offer from Clemson when he picked up the offer while on campus for the program’s underclassmen day March 12. He then returned on April 6 to take in the Tigers’ final spring practice prior to their April 9 spring game, before traveling back to campus for another visit during the Swinney Camp in June.

The Tigers are one of many prominent suitors for Brown, whose extensive list of more than two dozen offers also includes schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Tennessee, to name some.

Did Brown’s latest trip to Tiger Town change anything about where the Tigers stand with him at this point in his recruiting process?

“I wouldn’t say it changed anything,” he said, “but definitely was a reassurance of what I already know about them.”

Brown is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class by both 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite rankings. He is tabbed as the No. 5 overall prospect in the country for his class by 247Sports, while the 247Sports Composite considers him the No. 9 overall prospect nationally.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

The Insider Report: Recruits react to Clemson game-day visit

It’s time for this week’s edition of The Insider Report. We hope everyone had a great weekend. Update on nation’s No. 1 LB after latest Clemson visit Sammy Brown has made a bunch of trips to Clemson since the spring and was back on campus again last …

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

We hope everyone had a great weekend.

Update on nation’s No. 1 LB after latest Clemson visit

Sammy Brown has made a bunch of trips to Clemson since the spring and was back on campus again last weekend as one of the headliners among the prospects in attendance for the Furman game.

The Clemson Insider caught up with the five-star prospect from Jefferson (Ga.) High School and the nation’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 class about his latest visit experience.

Brown (6-2, 227) told us that he “had a really good time” Saturday and enjoyed being able to catch up with Clemson’s coaching staff and speak with them in person.

Brown said he has “a great relationship” with the Tigers’ staff and finds the coaches really easy to talk to. He said he was able to talk with them like he talks to friends – for example, he and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin chopped it up about the upcoming hunting season and things like that.

The biggest thing that stood out to Brown on Saturday, he said, was seeing the Tigers wear “E11A Strong” T-shirts during Tiger Walk prior to the game to show support for Bryan Bresee’s sister, Ella, who is battling brain cancer.

“I thought that was really cool and it really shows that family that Clemson has,” he said.

Asked if Saturday’s visit changed anything about where the Tigers stand with him right now, Brown said he wouldn’t say it changed anything but it “definitely was a reassurance of what I already know about them.”

As for future visits, Brown said he and his family are just taking it week by week and don’t have any more set up right now but will probably make it to games around their area.

Brown became the first prospect in the 2024 class to receive an offer from Clemson when he picked up the offer while on campus for the program’s underclassmen day on March 12. He then returned on April 6 to take in the Tigers’ final spring practice prior to their April 9 spring game, before traveling back to campus for another visit during the Swinney Camp in June.

TE with Clemson tie returns to Tiger Town

A fast-rising tight end prospect from the Peach State, with a Clemson connection, returned to Tiger Town for the Furman game.

Milton (Ga.) High School’s Ryan Ghea – a 6-foot-5, 220-pound sophomore in the 2025 class – was back on campus after competing at the Dabo Swinney Camp in June.

Saturday marked his first game-day visit to Clemson.

“I really enjoyed it,” he told TCI. “I had a very good time enjoying everything and just taking it all in.”

“It was a crazy atmosphere between the fans, players, everything,” he added.

Ghea was shown around by offensive analyst Tajh Boyd and also had the chance to spend time with tight ends coach Kyle Richardson and his family in his office.

According to Ghea, Richardson told Ghea that he wants him to camp at Clemson again next summer and explained that Clemson isn’t a school that offers early. Richardson said he wants Ghea to continue sending his film and keep building their relationship.

Ghea said as a tight end, Richardson likes his size, ability to catch the ball with his hands and his playmaking ability all over the field. He also likes Ghea’s physicality and blocking ability, whether it be blocking defensive linemen, linebackers or defensive backs.

Richardson asked if Ghea wanted to come back for the Miami game in November, and he’s going to see if he can make it back for that.

Ghea’s Milton teammate – four-star Clemson safety commit Rob Billings – is planning to be at that game.

The two have built a good bond.

“We started hanging out over this last year, growing our relationship, whether that’s football, watching film together, or if that’s like golfing together, stuff like that,” Ghea said.

Indiana, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Liberty and UConn all offered Ghea in May before Florida State and Ohio State joined his quickly growing offer list in June. NC State gave him his latest offer in late July.

Tar Heel State RB ‘really loved’ getting back to Clemson

A talented and versatile running back from the Tar Heel State was back in Tiger Town last weekend.

Charlotte (N.C.) Christian School’s Ryan Henley attended the Furman game.

“I really loved getting down there,” he told TCI. “Every time I go down there, it’s a joy to see that the culture remains the same, that culture being consistent and the message from the coaches remaining consistent. But this time, I got to talk with a lot of the coaches and everything and got to sit down and hear what they had to say, which is really cool. I think it kind of gave me a better sense of where I stand with them than last year’s unofficial.”

Henley, a prospect in the class of 2024, visited Clemson for the Florida State game in 2021 and has participated in the Swinney Camp each of the last two summers.

The 5-foot-10, 184-pound junior explained where he stands with the Tigers at this point in the process based on what he’s heard from the coaches.

“They really like me,” he said. “I think they’re just still continuing to build that relationship. I’ve scheduled some calls with Coach (CJ) Spiller, so we’re going to be able to continue to have communication there, build upon that relationship, and I think that’ll be extremely important to the recruiting process there.”

“They were kind of saying they like what I’m doing,” he added. “They’re kind of looking for a back that’s versatile like what I can do in terms of the slot and running back and then be involved in that return game as well and kickoff and just getting involved in special teams.”

Along with Clemson, schools such as South Carolina, Duke, Virginia, UConn and Northwestern have shown interest in Henley, who rushed for more than 800 yards, averaged 8.1 yards per carry and racked up 900-plus all-purpose yards as a sophomore last season.

In the first game of his junior campaign this year, Henley totaled 130 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. Then, in his team’s second game, he filled in at slot receiver due to injuries and made a big impact while accounting for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

Clemson making a move with Peach State CB, teammate of current Tiger

Another name worth keeping an eye on is that of College Park (Ga.) Douglas County’s Israel Boyce, who was back on campus for the Furman game this past weekend. Boyce — a 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback in the class of 2024 — returned to campus after previously participating in the Dabo Swinney Camp back in June.

“My time at the Clemson game was a great experience,” Boyce told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview Sunday night. “I felt like family as soon as I got there. I got to do a lot of stuff, like we got to run across the field, going up the hill — that was all a great experience. The coaching staff, I felt like they was very genuine.”

Boyce heard directly from Mike Reed on Sept. 1 and they’ve maintained close contact since then. According to Boyce, Clemson’s cornerbacks coach “snuck up” on him before Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman on the sideline. They talked about how his season is going right now, but at the same time, Boyce said they talk just about every day.

Remember, Reed is also now the position coach of true freshman cornerback Myles Oliver, who is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. That’s important to note here because Boyce and Oliver are close friends and former teammates at Douglas County High School.

“I’m getting a lot of love (from Clemson),” Boyce said. “I’m feeding into it. It might be the one.”

Notes on a couple of Clemson commits

The Clemson Insider confirmed over the weekend that Rome (Georgia) four-star defensive lineman, Stephiylan Green, was in attendance for Clemson’s home opener at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

The news comes after Green was in attendance for Georgia’s 49-3 win over Oregon in Atlanta a week prior. While Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs are still pursuing the Clemson commit, it’s a positive development that Green was in attendance for Saturday’s game, along with Peter Woods, A.J. Hoffler, Ronan Hanafin, Dee Crayton, Branden Strozier, Rob Billings and Zechariah Owens.

Speaking of Hoffler, we had the chance to catch up with him on Sunday night, following his first-ever Clemson gameday experience. Of course, that came on the heels of defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall being in attendance for his game on Friday, in which he recorded three sacks.

“He was really pleased with my game,” Hoffler said of Hall.

Hall, along with the rest of Clemson’s coaching staff, was happy to have Hoffler back on campus. Hoffler felt like he was a part of the team without officially being a part of the roster — that won’t happen until next summer. In any event, he plans on being at just about every Clemson home game this season.

Clemson involved with rising Sunshine State WR

While it remains to be seen whether or not Clemson will add up to three wide receiver commits to its 2023 recruiting class, The Clemson Insider has learned that the Tigers appear to be involved with another senior wideout.

According to Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons WR Patrick Stepelton, Tyler Grisham has been communicating with his father since the spring. Clemson’s wide receivers coach tried to get him up over the summer for a camp, but the dates just didn’t work out. 

Grisham followed Stepelton on Twitter the other day and later texted his father, saying that he was looking great and that he would like to get him up to Clemson for a recruiting visit. Stepelton told TCI that he will “100%” be getting up to Tiger Town for a game at some point this season.

While nothing is imminent, Stepelton is viewed as a fast-rising prospect, who could potentially blow up this season, much like Cole Turner. While he doesn’t have the credentials that Noble Johnson or Ronan Hanafin may have, the 6-foot-2, 197-pound wideout could have a similar trajectory to that of Turner, who has received rave reviews since arriving at Clemson.

In any event, he’s a name worth passing along at this point.

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Top prospects headed to Death Valley for Clemson-Furman game

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. game against Furman in Death Valley. Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-Furman game. A couple of …

Clemson will again play host to some top prospects for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. game against Furman in Death Valley.

Here are some of the bigger names The Clemson Insider has confirmed as planned visitors for the Clemson-Furman game.

A couple of headliners among the recruits expected to be in attendance are a five-star class of 2024 prospect in Jefferson (Ga.) linebacker Sammy Brown and a four-star class of 2023 prospect in Phenix City (Ala.) Central defensive end Tomarrion Parker.

Brown is the No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, which also tabs Parker as the No. 12 defensive lineman in the 2023 class.

Brown was contacted by multiple members of Clemson’s staff — including head coach Dabo Swinneydefensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin and co-defensive coordinator Mickey Conn – on Thursday, Sept. 1, when college coaches across the country could begin actively reaching out to junior prospects in the class of 2024.

“I heard from most of the defensive coaching staff, Coach Goodwin, Coach Conn, etc.,” Brown told The Clemson Insider shortly after. “I actually heard from Coach Swinney as well.”

Brown became the first prospect in the 2024 class to receive an offer from Clemson when he picked up the offer while on campus for the program’s underclassmen day on March 12. He then returned on April 6 to take in the Tigers’ final spring practice prior to their April 9 spring game, before most recently traveling back to campus for another visit during the Swinney Camp in June.

The 6-foot-2, 227-pound blue-chip recruit told TCI he is planning to visit Clemson again for its first home game of the 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 10 vs. Furman.

“I think that we’re going to the Furman game (Saturday),” he said. “My parents went to Furman, so kinda lines up.”

As for Parker, after receiving an offer from Clemson on Aug. 11, he set up two visits to Death Valley — an unofficial visit for this Saturday and an official visit for the Syracuse game on Oct. 22.

A big-time receiver from the Garden State is slated to be on hand for Saturday’s game as well in Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic three-star Emanuel Ross, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 – who worked out at the Swinney Camp the weekend of June 10-12.

Ross certainly left Clemson impressed following his first-ever visit to the school.

“Honestly, the family environment – the school’s very family oriented,” Ross told TCI earlier this summer. “It’s not like a state college, so everything felt so close, and I just loved it.”

Among other notable recruits on Clemson’s anticipated guest list for Saturday’s game are Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit 2024 three-star linebacker Drew Woodaz, Charlotte (N.C.) Christian School 2024 RB Ryan Henley, Greenville (S.C.) 2024 WR Mac McLean, Lexington (S.C.) River Bluff 2025 QB Parker Murray and River Bluff (S.C.) 2025 K/P Tripp Bryant.

*Prospects like Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei Catholic 2024 four-star cornerback Isaiah Buxton and Austin (Texas) Vandegrift 2024 offensive lineman Blake Frazier were invited to Saturday afternoon’s game but will be unable to attend.

Further updates to follow

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Nation’s No. 1 LB hears from Clemson, expects to visit next week

The nation’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class heard from Clemson this week and expects to be back in Tiger Town a week from today. Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown was contacted by multiple members of Clemson’s staff – …

The nation’s top-ranked linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class heard from Clemson this week and expects to be back in Tiger Town a week from today.

Jefferson (Ga.) five-star Sammy Brown was contacted by multiple members of Clemson’s staff – including head coach Dabo Swinney, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin and co-defensive coordinator Mickey Conn – on Thursday, Sept. 1, when college coaches across the country could begin actively reaching out to junior prospects in the class of 2024.

“I heard from most of the defensive coaching staff, Coach Goodwin, Coach Conn, etc.,” Brown told The Clemson Insider. “I actually heard from Coach Swinney as well.”

Brown became the first prospect in the 2024 class to receive an offer from Clemson when he picked up the offer while on campus for the program’s underclassmen day March 12. He then returned on April 6 to take in the Tigers’ final spring practice prior to their April 9 spring game, before most recently traveling back to campus for another visit during the Swinney Camp in June.

The 6-foot-2, 227-pound blue-chip recruit told TCI he is planning to visit Clemson again for its first home game of the 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 10 vs. Furman.

“I think that we’re going to the Furman game next week,” he said. “My parents went to Furman, so kinda lines up.”

The Tigers are one of many prominent suitors for Brown, whose extensive list of more than two dozen offers also includes schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Tennessee, to name some.

Brown said with a laugh that the recruiting process has been “a little crazy” for him since the calendar turned to Sept. 1 and coaches could start directly contacting him.

“But it’s been good to finally be able to talk to these coaches in real time!” he said.

“It definitely makes it a lot easier to be in communication with the coaches,” he added. “I don’t have to call through my dad and what not. I really look forward to talking with all the coaches on a regular basis and building that relationship even further.”

Brown is the No. 2 prospect in the Peach State, No. 1 linebacker nationally and No. 9 overall prospect in the country for the 2024 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

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5-star, nation’s No. 1 LB: ‘Really like what Clemson is doing’

The Clemson Insider caught up with a priority five-star Clemson target ranked as the nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class. TCI recently checked back in with Jefferson (Ga.) High School’s Sammy Brown to get the latest on his …

The Clemson Insider caught up with a priority five-star Clemson target ranked as the nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 recruiting class.

TCI recently checked back in with Jefferson (Ga.) High School’s Sammy Brown to get the latest on his recruitment, what he’s been hearing from Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin, and more.

“I’ve been able to talk on and off with Coach Goodwin with my dad,” Brown said. “The main message just being to keep working and keep getting better. We were able to talk a little about hunting and what not as well.”

Brown (6-2, 220) became the first prospect in the 2024 class to receive an offer from Clemson when he picked up the offer while on campus for the program’s underclassmen day March 12. Brown returned on April 6 to take in the Tigers’ final spring practice prior to their April 9 spring game. He was most recently in Tiger Town for another visit last month, when he made his way to the Dabo Swinney Camp to spend time with the coaches and players while watching his younger brother, a rising eighth grader by the name of Max, work out.

While Brown hasn’t yet mapped out his full visit schedule for the upcoming college football season, he has an eye on getting back to Death Valley for a game this fall.

“We really don’t have a whole lot planned for this season yet but there’s a lot of places we definitely want to go see a game at, Clemson included,” he said.

Whenever Brown finds himself back in Clemson for his next visit, he said the main thing he wants to get out of it is “just continuing to build those relationships with the coaches and some of the players.”

“That’s what it’s down to at this point, getting to really, really know the coaches and everything else,” he added. “Not as much touring facilities and all that.”

According to Brown, some of the schools recruiting him the hardest right now are Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma, along with others like Tennessee and Notre Dame, though he noted “there’s more to name.”

It likely won’t be until the spring of next year when Brown begins to cut things down in his recruitment and arrange official visits for the summer going into his senior year.

As it stands now, Brown isn’t ready to name any favorites, though he is certainly fond of the Tigers.

“Still trying to stay neutral right now,” he said, “but really like what Clemson is doing and how they’re developing their players.”

Brown is rated as a five-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite and ranked as the nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class by 247Sports, which pegs him as the No. 6 overall prospect in the country for his class.

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5-star, nation’s No. 1 LB discusses latest trip to Tiger Town

Now that Clemson has formally turned the page to offering prospects in the 2024 class, the Tigers have extended offers to a bunch of rising juniors, but the first of those 2024 recruits to earn an offer from Dabo Swinney’s program was Jefferson …

Now that Clemson has formally turned the page to offering prospects in the 2024 class, the Tigers have extended offers to a bunch of rising juniors, but the first of those 2024 recruits to earn an offer from Dabo Swinney’s program was Jefferson (Ga.) High School five-star Sammy Brown.

Brown – the nation’s No. 1 linebacker in his class, per multiple recruiting services – picked up that offer while on campus March 12 and then returned on April 6 to take in Clemson’s final spring practice prior to its April 9 spring game.

Brown (6-2, 220) was most recently back on campus for another visit last weekend, and he spoke with The Clemson Insider about his latest trip to Tiger Town.

“We went up Friday morning and left that night,” Brown told The Clemson Insider. “My brother was camping in the weekend camp, so we just helped him out and made a visit out of it. I was able to spend a lot of time with Coach Goodwin (defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin) and be able to just talk with him. I was also able to talk with some of the players that were working the linebacker drills.”

Sammy’s brother, Max, a class of 2027 athlete, enjoyed his experience participating in the Swinney Camp.

“He loved the camp,” Sammy said. “He was able to work with the older group a little bit and get some coaching from Coach Goodwin and what not.”

Jefferson (Ga.) 2024 five-star linebacker Sammy Brown during Dabo Swinney’s football camp Friday, June 10, 2022. Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider

Speaking of Goodwin, Sammy feels that their bond continued to grow while spending more time together last Friday.

“Our relationship is definitely getting stronger,” he said. “It’s a lot more talks about hunting and fishing than it is football. A little recruiting here and there, but mostly the conversation is about life outside football.”

Overall, the highlight of Friday’s visit for Sammy was learning about P.A.W. Journey, a leadership initiative that develops the Clemson football program’s student-athletes through personal growth, life skills and professional development.

“It was really cool to just see what they’re doing and how they’re developing players off the field,” he said.

Did this particular visit change anything about where the Tigers currently stand in his recruitment?

“I’m still trying to stay totally neutral on schools right now,” he said, “but I really like what Clemson is doing!”

Sammy said if he and his family can’t get back to Clemson again this summer, they will try to return for a game this fall.

He is rated as a five-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite, which ranks him as the No. 1 linebacker and No. 6 overall player in the 2024 class regardless of position.

The Insider Report: Multiple sunny forecasts, latest on top targets & more

It’s time for this week’s edition of The Insider Report. We hope everyone had a great weekend. Top DL target set to make decision Wednesday Just two days ahead of a big announcement for one of Clemson’s top defensive line prospects in the 2023 …

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

We hope everyone had a great weekend.

Top DL target set to make decision Wednesday

Just two days ahead of a big announcement for one of Clemson’s top defensive line prospects in the 2023 recruiting class, The Clemson Insider is calling for Wednesday to be a sunny day in Tiger Town.

Warner Robins (Ga.) High School five-star defensive lineman Vic Burley announced Monday that he will be announcing his college decision come Wednesday afternoon. Burley, who 247Sports considers to be the nation’s No. 4 defensive lineman and No. 22 prospect overall in the 2023 class, is ready to announce his decision, as he will choose between Clemson, Georgia, Michigan State and Tennessee.

We have gathered enough information to make our sunny forecast for Burley.

While Burley wasn’t in attendance for Clemson’s official visit weekend from June 3-5, TCI was told by a source not to discount players who weren’t in town as a wave of commitments came in early last week.

And while Burley last visited for Clemson’s Elite Junior Day on Jan. 31, it was then that he told TCI that the Tigers were at the top of his recruitment.

That held true at the time and obviously bears fruit now, but Burley wanted to make other visits before pulling the trigger on a college commitment.

“I know they’re at the top, I just don’t really have a good (feel) on my list right now,” he said back in January. “But I know they’re at the top, though.”

One thing stands out the most to Burley when he thinks about Clemson’s program.

“They think more of the person than the athlete,” he said.

TE target announcing commitment Tuesday

Archbishop Wood High School (Warminster, Pa.) three-star tight end Markus Dixon will make his commitment at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14.

At this time, we’re prepared to make our sunny forecast for Dixon, who took an official visit to Clemson last weekend and has no plans to make any additional visits to other contenders in his recruitment.

“It was great,” Dixon said regarding his official visit experience. “I think Clemson made a very huge impact in my recruitment.”

Dixon reported an offer from Clemson during the official visit on Friday, June 3.

“It was a heavy offer,” he said. “It’s not just any Power Five school offering me. This is a team that’s almost consistently top-four every year. I think that this is a great program and them offering just really shows my skills and abilities and how they’d love to use me.”

If Dixon were to commit to Clemson, he’d join First Baptist Academy (Naples, Fla.) four-star Olsen Patt Henry, who announced his verbal commitment to Clemson last week.

Dixon said that Clemson’s coaching staff did talk about him and Henry being the only tight ends that they’re heavily interested in.

“Hanging with him throughout the whole weekend, he was just a great person to be around,” Dixon said of Henry. “We haven’t even played together, so I think that just says a lot about his character.”

Dixon (6-5, 230) is the nation’s No. 24 tight end in the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Tigers in good position to land top-75 recruit

After speaking with a source familiar with a Lone Star State prospect’s recruitment, we can tell you that Clemson is in a prime position to land the commitment of one of its top targets.

We can tell you that things have been trending in that direction for Permian (Odessa, Texas) 2023 four-star offensive lineman Harris Sewell, ever since he was among Clemson’s 31 official visitors for the program’s official visit weekend.

In April, Sewell dropped a top-five featuring Clemson along with Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama. The Tigers extended a scholarship offer to Sewell on Nov. 1, just a couple of days after he was in attendance as an unofficial visitor for Clemson’s 30-20 win over Florida State. He also visited Clemson last July.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder is ranked as a top-100 national prospect in the 2023 class by both ESPN (No. 65) and the 247Sports Composite (No. 73).

While this goes without saying, this would be a major addition to Clemson’s 2023 recruiting class, as well as a big boost for the program’s offensive line recruiting going forward.

Update on the nation’s top-ranked LB

The nation’s No. 1 linebacker in the 2024 class returned to Clemson for another visit last week. Jefferson (Ga.) High School five-star Sammy Brown was back on campus for an unofficial visit this past Friday.

It was his first time back in Clemson since he visited for the Tigers’ final spring practice before the program’s spring game. Friday marked his third trip to Tiger Town in as many months, as he was also on campus on March 12, when he became the first class of 2024 prospect to receive an offer from the Tigers.

“We went up Friday morning and left that night,” Brown told The Clemson Insider. “My brother was camping in the weekend camp, so we just helped him out and made a visit out of it. I was able to spend a lot of time with Coach Goodwin and be able to just talk with him. I was also able to talk with some of the players that were working the linebacker drills. The highlight of the visit was probably talking about their P.A.W. Journey Program. It was really cool to just see what they’re doing and how they’re developing players off the field.”

It was important for Brown to get back on campus and continue to further build his relationship with Clemson defensive coordinator/linebacker coach Wesley Goodwin.

“Our relationship is definitely getting stronger,” Brown said. “It’s a lot more talks about hunting and fishing than it is football. A little recruiting here and there, but mostly the conversation is about life outside football.”

We asked Brown if this visit changed anything about where Clemson currently stands in his recruitment.

“I’m still trying to stay totally neutral on schools right now, but I really like what Clemson is doing,” he said.

The latest on a top DL target’s visit

TCI caught up with The Loomis Chaffee School (Windsor, CT.) 2024 four-star defensive lineman Jerod Smith, who was on Clemson/s campus for an unofficial visit this Friday.

Smith was able to line up a visit on short notice.

His head coach and Clemson defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall got in contact on Thursday night and Smith was able to set up a visit for the following morning.

“It was short notice, but it was a really good visit,” he said. “Of course, they have the best facilities. They have all the best things that you could see, but the family atmosphere there is huge.”

What type of feedback did Smith get from Hall on his visit?

“His main message is that he’s really big on relationships,” Smith said. “He doesn’t give a kid an offer to give a kid an offer. He likes to see how they are, what type of relationship they build and all that.”

Smith 100% respects that level of thinking.

He said that he’s noticed during the recruitment process that with schools that tend to take relationships more seriously, there is usually a better outcome that comes with it. With that being said, Smith is excited to build his relationship with Clemson going forward.

“One of the main things they said too was that Coach Swinney loves to see his recruits visit campus before they decide to even offer or anything,” Smith said. “That was also another big part.”

247Sports has tabbed Smith (6-4, 260) as the nation’s No. 8 defensive lineman and No. 55 prospect overall in the 2024 class.

Staff Writer Gavin Oliver contributed to this week’s edition of The Insider Report.