Tag: Tristan Leigh

OL recruit would love to follow in brother’s footsteps at Clemson

A talented O-line prospect with a tie to Clemson was back on campus last weekend for the Boston College game. Pendleton (S.C.) High School 2023 offensive tackle Aidan Leigh – the younger brother of former five-star recruit and current Clemson …

A talented O-line prospect with a tie to Clemson was back on campus last weekend for the Boston College game.

Pendleton (S.C.) High School 2023 offensive tackle Aidan Leigh – the younger brother of former five-star recruit and current Clemson freshman offensive lineman Tristan Leigh – attended the Tigers’ 19-13 victory over the Eagles on Saturday.

The Clemson Insider caught up with Aidan, who loved taking in the atmosphere of a night game at Death Valley.

“It was crazy,” he said. “It was loud and crazy.”

Aidan was also at Clemson’s home game against Georgia Tech on Sept. 18, as well as the season opener against Georgia in Charlotte on Sept. 4, but this past Saturday marked Aidan’s first time attending a game at Death Valley this season as a recruit on an unofficial visit.

“I enjoyed it a lot, especially like the community,” he said. “It was loud, and the game itself was really good, too.”

Getting to be on the field before kickoff to watch the Tigers get ready for the game was one of the highlights of the day for Aidan.

“When you’re on the field during warmups, you really get to see all the players,” he said, “and you kind of see a different perspective of what it looks like being on the field.”

Aidan had the chance to work with Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell at the Dabo Swinney Camp this past summer, and the two were able to catch up again last Saturday.

Caldwell let the 6-foot-6, 290-pound junior know that he is keeping tabs on him.

“He said he’s been watching my film and to keep on doing good,” Aidan said. “I really like talking to him because he’s always 100 with me, and he says that he sees a lot of potential in me.”

“One, he likes my length, and he likes my feet, how fast my feet are,” Aidan added.

Aidan said he and Caldwell have developed a close relationship over time.

“I think it’s really tight,” Aidan said. “It got pretty tight when he was recruiting my brother, so when I see him it’s always all love.”

Speaking of Tristan, he is having a great experience as a student-athlete at Clemson so far during his freshman year, according to Aidan.

“He loves it. He loves it so much,” Aidan said. “He just likes how it’s like a family. They treat you really good there. They make sure you’re all mentally OK and physically OK.”

Aidan currently lists offers from Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Maryland, and figures to see more offers come his way moving forward. Right now, he is in no rush to make his college decision and wants to take more visits and explore all his options before rendering a commitment.

“I’m still trying to figure it out and kind of see all my possibilities and all the different places,” he said, “because I really want to see it in person before I make a big decision.”

Receiving an offer from Clemson in the future and having the opportunity to follow in his brother’s footsteps as a Tiger would be a dream come true for Aidan, who had the opportunity to play with Tristan at Robinson Secondary School (Fairfax, Va.) last season when Aidan was a sophomore and Tristan was a senior.

After Tristan committed to Clemson, his family decided to move to the area with him, so Aidan is now playing at Pendleton High.

“It would be crazy, having that chance,” Aidan said of possibly teaming up with Tristan again at Clemson. “Because last year me and my brother got to play together, and it was the most fun year of football I’ve ever had. So, I think it 100 percent would be insanely crazy.”

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Clemson still working on its depth at this position

As Clemson’s first game against Georgia grew closer in late August, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney expressed optimism about the depth being built along the Tigers’ offensive line. There were nine – and as many as 10 – linemen Swinney said he’d be …

As Clemson’s first game against Georgia grew closer in late August, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney expressed optimism about the depth being built along the Tigers’ offensive line. There were nine — and as many as 10 — linemen Swinney said he’d be comfortable playing if Clemson had to play a game then.

Fast forward three games into Clemson’s season, and those words haven’t exactly translated onto the field.

The Tigers have played more than 10 offensive linemen in a game, but the only time the count has been that high was their 49-3 rout of FCS member South Carolina State when the lopsided score allowed Clemson to empty its bench. Clemson played just six linemen in that opener against Georgia. And in the Tigers’ great escape against Georgia Tech over the weekend, the starting five logged all 66 offensive snaps.

“Yeah, we’ve got to play more guys,” Swinney said this week.

Some of the depth up front has taken a hit with three backup linemen already done for the season. Tayquon Johnson, John Williams and freshman Dietrick Pennington have all sustained season-ending injuries, but the bulk of Clemson’s top nine up front remains intact.

Hunter Rayburn and Mason Trotter competed throughout camp for the starting center job along with Matt Bockhorst, who slid over from left guard after winning out. Swinney said Rayburn and Trotter were capable of playing guard if that competition didn’t go their way.

But Trotter is dealing with an injury of his own. A broken hand means the sophomore is limited to repping at guard for the time being, but Rayburn is the only one of the two that’s gotten game reps to this point. Paul Tchio, the only lineman outside of the starting five that got in against Georgia, has seen the most playing time of any backup as freshman Marcus Tate’s backup at left guard, though that’s not saying much.

The same could be said for the tackle spots, where Mitchell Mayes and freshman Tristan Leigh have only spared Jordan McFadden and Walker Parks during the S.C. State game. Swinney said he planned on playing more linemen against Tech, but the competitiveness of the game didn’t provide many opportunities to do so.

Still, Swinney said it’s on the coaching staff to find spots to rotate more linemen.

“Being able to get (Trotter) in there some,” Swinney said. “We need to get Rayburn going. Give them some more opportunity and let them see what they can do in some game situations.”

McFadden shared his coach’s sentiment. While Clemson’s senior left tackle said he likes the challenge of playing every snap, he added he has confidence in the depth behind the starting five to perform well. He also acknowledged there’s no better way for some of the younger linemen to develop while simultaneously giving the starters a breather than to get in-game experience.

“The only way to grow is you make mistakes. You have to learn from them,” McFadden said. “So I think once they get in, they’ll see the film and see areas they need to improve. And I think they’ll get better.”

While right guard Will Putnam is the only starter back up front playing the same position he did last season, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said the group’s collective performance during camp gave the coaching staff hope that it would be further along in its development than it is through three games. But it’s clear there’s plenty of work still to do.

While the group hasn’t allowed a sack since Georgia racked up seven in Week 1, technical breakdowns and missed assignments are still issues at times, particularly in the running game. With their backs not having much room to operate, the Tigers’ 4.02 yards per rush are the fourth-fewest in the ACC.

The bond up front is a work in progress regardless of who’s doing the blocking.

“It’s just taking a little bit of time for the cohesion and chemistry of those guys to come together,” Elliott said. “In the past, we’ve had it happen quickly, but this is a situation where it’s taking a little bit of time. And, as coaches, we’ve got to do a good job of just trying to help them week in and week out as they kind of find their rhythm and cohesion together as a unit of five.”

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Clemson pushing freshmen offensive linemen to be ready

Clemson brought in some shiny new reinforcements along the offensive line with its 2021 recruiting class, and the Tigers may need some of them to contribute immediately. Tristan Leigh, Marcus Tate, Dietrick Pennington and Ryan Linthicum were part of …

Clemson brought in some shiny new reinforcements along the offensive line with its 2021 recruiting class, and the Tigers may need some of them to contribute immediately.

Tristan Leigh, Marcus Tate, Dietrick Pennington and Ryan Linthicum were part of the nation’s fifth-ranked signing class, according to the 247Sports Composite. While some of them will need more time than others to get caught up mentally in their first fall camp, they already look the part.

Start with Leigh and Tate, the two highest-ranked offensive linemen in the class. Tate is a 6-foot-5, 290-pound swingman that can play inside or out. Meanwhile, Leigh, a consensus five-star prospect ranked in the 247Sports Composite as the nation’s No. 14 overall prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle, is a 6-6, 290-pound tackle.

“Oh my goodness. Two great looking young prospects,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Let’s see where they are in pads, but as far as just prospects and what you would hope they’d look like walking in out of high school, they’re two great looking young players.”

The other signees up front aren’t exactly small. Pennington, a four-star recruit, goes 6-5 and 310 pounds while Linthicum is a 6-4, 280-pound center. 

Are Swinney and the rest of his staff expecting at least some of them to help out right away? Elliott said Bryn Tucker, a freshman who redshirted last season, should also be included in that mix.

“The impression is the future is very bright with those guys,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “Still a lot to learn, but we’re pushing them and we’re trying to get those guys to step up.”

Getting playing time as a true freshman on the offensive line is always a tough chore since the physical and mental demands make the position developmental in nature. Tate and Linthicum got a head start on the playbook by going through spring practice as early enrollees.

For Leigh, working to get his body right is the priority. Leigh played his senior season at Robinson (Virginia) High during the spring, so he’s jumping into his second football season of the calendar year without much of a break.

“He just played high school football, so his body is in a different place than the rest of the guys,” Elliott said. “He played a full season and didn’t have an offseason. Now he’s coming out here and he’s banging again.”

But the Tigers have bigger needs at some positions up front, which could play a role in how soon some of the youngsters find themselves part of the rotation. With sophomores Mason Trotter and Hunter Rayburn competing to replace the departed Cade Stewart at center — guard Matt Bockhorst could also play there — Linthicum has spent most of camp getting third-team reps at the position.

Things are more fluid at some of the other spots. The Tigers are already short one guard following Tayquon Johnson’s recent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle, and if Bockhorst ends up being the best option at center, that position could thin out even more.

Tate has taken some second-team reps at guard. Walker Parks might be the favorite to take over at right tackle, though Leigh could have something to say about that. It may be a lot to ask of Leigh to be ready to start the Tigers’ opener against Georgia on Sept. 4 — not since Mitch Hyatt in 2015 has a freshman offensive lineman started his first game at Clemson — but he may have enough raw talent to at least make things interesting.

Elliott said he’s been encouraged by what he’s seen out of the freshmen linemen after four practices, but there’s still a lot of learning and developing that needs to be done over the next three weeks.

“We’ll see as we continue to go through camp, can they maintain and continue to make the progress we need?” Elliott said.

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Notebook: Observations of Clemson freshmen on day 3

Clemson returned to the practice fields on a hot Monday afternoon for the third day of camp. The Clemson Insider was on hand to watch the first six periods. Here are some observations about the great freshmen class from the third day of camp. Marcus …

Clemson returned to the practice fields on a hot Monday afternoon for the third day of camp.  The Clemson Insider was on hand to watch the first six periods.

Here are some observations about the great freshmen class from the third day of camp.

  • Marcus Tate was more left tackle in the individual drill I watched.  If you remember on Saturday he was also playing some guard.
  • Payton Page was still in a green jersey on Monday.  He did participate in some of the individual drills.  Page looked to move better than what I remember after seeing him play a couple of times at Dudley in our Tour of Champions.  He has worked hard on the nutrition and in the weight room since arriving on campus.
  • Phil Mafah got some work with the first team OL and DJ at quarterback on the tempo drill.  Mafah caught the pass from DJ and took it into the endzone to end the drill.
  • Will Taylor really has a quick release throwing the football.  He continued to look more comfortable now in his third practice with the Tigers.
  • I spent more time watching the individual drills of the defensive backs today.  One thing that stood out to me was Andrew Mukuba’s hands.  We have already documented his athleticism but he also showed great hands today.  In the individual drills he was working with the safeties today.  If you recall he got a little bit of time at corner on Saturday in one of the drills.
  • Nate Wiggins is getting plenty of attention from coach Reed.  With the depth chart down this year at corner look for him to see some playing time.  Wiggins received plenty of praise from the staff in the spring.  That has certainly accelerated his development.
  • Tristan Leigh was again running at left tackle in the individual drills.
  • Beaux Collins and Troy Stellato both remained in yellow jerseys on Monday.  Stellato was injured on day one and first wore the yellow jersey on day two.  Collins started the camp in a green jersey on day one but was downgraded on Saturday to a yellow jersey.
  • Decari Collins made a nice catch on the sideline today that received praise for head coach Dabo Swinney.  Once again Dabo spent plenty of time with the receivers.
  • One improvement we saw today was not many dropped passes.  Saturday there was a high number but we only noticed a few on day three.
  • Ryan Linthicum was running some guard in the individual drills.  Linthicum cross trained at both this spring.

Notebook: Day 1 observations of Clemson freshmen

The boys were back in town Friday and all eyes were on the freshmen as usual. Some were practicing for the first time as a Tiger and some were showing the improvements they have made since the spring. Thanks to a last minute decision from coach …

The boys were back in town Friday and all eyes were on the freshmen as usual.  Some were practicing for the first time as a Tiger and some were showing the improvements they have made since the spring.

Thanks to a last minute decision from coach Swinney the media in attendance was allowed to watch the entire practice, which is very unusual at Clemson.

Here are some observations about the great freshmen from the first day of camp.

  • Will Shipley showed off his speed a number of times.  On one play he broke open and looked like he might take it to the house but someone punched the ball out of his hands.  Shipley also appeared to near the top of the depth chart already in the punt return drills.
  • Payton Page was in a green jersey Friday afternoon.  Page had really transformed his body from when we saw him several times at Dudley High School in Greensboro.
  • Will Taylor practiced for the first time as a Tiger.  Will worked exclusively at quarterback.  Brandon Streeter game him plenty of coaching and was heard praising him on one of the pass completions.
  • Barrett Carter was working out at linebacker in his first day.  In one drill he made a one handed catch that looked similar to a Sammy Watkins special.  That play drew some praise from his teammates.
  • One summer arrival really caught my eye on Friday.  Receiver Troy Stellato showed that he will fit in just fine at WRU.  One one play Stellato made a good move on Nolan Turner and then went on to make a great catch.
  • We were able to confirm with our own eyes what Swinney said about freshman offensive lineman Tristan Leigh.  In his first practice it was easy to tell that Leigh is physically ready to play for the Tigers.  He will just need to learn the offense and then he will be ready to contribute.  Tristan is a great addition to the o-line.
  • Beaux Collins was wearing a green jersey on Friday so he did not participate in some of the drills.  At one point we also saw them icing one of his shoulders.
  • Decari Collins looked improved from what we saw in the spring.  His size is just what Clemson likes at receiver and he made several very nice catches across the middle.
  • Safety Andrew Mukuba got plenty of hype in the spring and he looked good out there in day one of camp.  He has great range and just looks like he is ready to hit someone.  Mukuba will provide more athleticism at safety.
  • In any other season we might be looking for Denhoff to make a bigger impact.  The Tigers are of course loaded at defensive end so he will be able to work on his body and come along slowly.
  • Zaire Patterson is another freshman that passes the ‘get off the bus test’.  He looks physically ready to play.  Similar to Denhoff he will be able to take his time, learn the system and take advantage of his opportunities.
  • Billy Wiles was impressive out there for the first day.  On many of the drills they were running Wiles out with the third team behind Helms and Uiagalelei.
  • Ryan Linthicum is ready to win the hair game already.  Linthicum brings some energy to the center position.  With Rayburn coming on strong this spring Ryan will be able to learn the offense and take advantage of his opportunities this season.  We expect him to be a very good one before he leaves Clemson.

Swinney: Leigh’s in a good place physically, but how quickly can he learn?

Speaking with reporters prior to practice on Friday, Dabo Swinney was asked about a talented, true freshman offensive lineman. Tristan Leigh (6-6, 290) is preparing for the first season of his collegiate career. Swinney offered his thoughts on the …

Speaking with reporters prior to practice on Friday, Dabo Swinney was asked about a talented, true freshman offensive lineman.

Tristan Leigh (6-6, 290) is preparing for the first season of his collegiate career.

Swinney offered his thoughts on the former five-star prospect.

“Obviously, he’s a big, physical kid,” Swinney said. “This is just a starting point for him. The biggest thing I’m looking for is how quickly can he learn what to do? Physically, he’s got some natural attributes. He’s nowhere near where he’s going to be a year from now, two years from now, [even] six months from now as he gets into the strength and conditioning program, just the holistic approach that we have here.

“The main thing right of the gate is where’s his head? I think the physical part will come pretty easily to him. If you watch him play, that’s one of his greatest attributes.”

Dabo often relates back to high school when trying to get his true freshmen caught up to speed. He asks if they were better football players in their freshman or junior season.

The answer is always a resounding “yes,” because the game becomes a lot slower over time.

“When the game is slower, you got a little more swag, you got confidence. You carry yourself differently, you anticipate differently,” Swinney said. “You know the system. You’re not thinking, you’re just playing ball. Then all those great attributes you have, they go to a higher level. That’s the thing about coming into college, it’s such an adjustment from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint and a structure standpoint.”

Swinney can see where Leigh’s at from a physical standpoint, but beyond that, he doesn’t have much more information.

That’s what intrigues Clemson’s head coach, though.

“I think physically, he’s in a good place,” Swinney said, “But, I haven’t been in a meeting with him. I haven’t watched him after three days of installation. I have no idea. So, how is he going to manage that? Because you can have all those great attributes, but if you get loaded down with that stuff…some guys process it quicker than others, then all of a sudden you’re not playing as confident, you’re playing tentative, you’re not playing as physical, at any position on the field.”

There is one thing in particular that Swinney is looking for out of Leigh as the true freshman continues to develop, especially during fall camp.

“Where is he mentally? That’s really the main thing I’m looking for,” he said. “How quick can he pick things up? Then, he has a chance to compete.”

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Bockhorst provides offensive outlook, anticipates having ‘an explosive’ offense

Matt Bockhorst had plenty to say during the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte on Thursday. Bockhorst came to the defense and praised his own unit, but he also took time to commend all the pieces and position groups around him offensively. He provided quite …

Matt Bockhorst had plenty to say during the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte on Thursday.

Bockhorst came to the defense and praised his own unit, but he also took time to commend all the pieces and position groups around him offensively.

He provided quite the offensive outlook from running back to tight end to wide receiver, giving a mini-preview of each position group.

Clemson’s starting left guard was asked what type of offense he expects to hit the ground running when the Tigers are back in Charlotte to face off against Georgia on Sept. 4.

“An explosive one,” Bockhorst said, without much hesitation.

Bockhorst acknowledged the high-profile losses that Clemson has experienced on the offensive side of the ball. Everyone that the Tigers had drafted in April’s NFL draft was on offense: Trevor Lawrence, Tarvis Etienne, Jackson Carman, Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell.

Clemson’s anchor on the offensive line really went into detail about what to expect out of the Tigers backfield, especially for life beyond Etienne.

“We got some pretty good young guys too,” Bockhorst said. “That guy over there D.J. [Uiagalelei] playing quarterback, he’s not too shabby. And then from a running back perspective, I’m even more excited because of the amount of guys that we have. I think that you’re going to see a running back by committee and that’s fantastic because you can just keep going, you can keep going. We’ve got some young guys and old guys. Lyn-J’s been here for a long time. You got guys like [true freshman running back] Will Shipley coming in that are going to compete.”

Bockhorst spoke highly of senior running back Lyn-J Dixon, who was named as one of 82 players on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, which is presented to the nation’s top running back at the end of the season. 

Dixon enters the 2021 season as the elder statesman in Clemson’s running back room. For his Clemson career, he has 1,372 rushing yards on 208 career attempts with 13 rushing touchdowns. 

“Lyn-J Dixon, I love that dude,” Bockhorst said. “He’s great. Everyone’s given the attention to Travis over the past four years and Travis was an exceptional player, but Lyn-J has had a pretty big role too. He’s made some big plays and he’s got the ability too. But at the same time, I think to have the depth..to have the ability to do that is something that most teams don’t have. Since we have this depth and we’ve got 3,4,5 guys that can play, that changes the dynamic.”

Bockhorst doesn’t know if Dixon will be the first guy out there against Georgia but made it clear that he doesn’t believe that the first guy who’s in the backfield will matter much because of an expected rotation. That very well may include a couple of true freshmen.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Shipley is the newcomer that excites Bockhorst the most.

“I really like Will,” he said. “I think that once again, talking about having success as a young guy in this program, you come in and relentlessly work hard and you’ll find a way. Not to mention that he’s an incredibly talented guy and I just think that a lot of guys respect the way that he carries himself. We got a deep running back room, a very deep running back room, but I’m excited to see the way he competes this year and I really believe that he’s going to be a strong contributor for our team.”

Speaking of newcomers, Bockhorst was asked just about his early impressions from freshmen offensive linemen Dietrick Pennington and Tristan Leigh thus far.

“Obviously, they’re huge,” Bockhorst said. “I just think it’s good to see some size walk through the door. I know that was something that we wanted to emphasize and you can tell that they’re recruiting that, so that’s good to see. Obviously, they’re both specimens. Dietrick, you just look at the dude, he looks like he plays in the NFL.

“Those dudes have really fit in and kind of just made it work. It’s hard for freshmen anytime, but they’ve done a really good job of getting with the program and falling in line. I’m excited about both of those guys and Tristan as well. Obviously, you can see why he was a highly recruited, very twitchy guy. I’m excited about those and hopefully, they can potentially help this camp. You never know.”

From there, Bockhorst wanted to make sure he acknowledged just how stacked Clemson is at the tight end position.

“I think this is the best tight end group, without question, that we’ve had during my time here,” he said. “We’ve got really good players, but we’ve got a variety of types of players. 

“You got [senior] Braden Galloway, who’s more of a receiving type. [Redshirt senior] Luke Price is back from a torn ACL, he’s that more fullback type of guy. [Junior] Davis Allen can do it all and we got [freshman Jake] Briningstool, we got [redshirt freshman] Sage Ennis. We’re loaded at tight end, we have plenty at tight end.”

Last, but certainly not least is the wide receiver position. 

There obviously remain some health concerns with the unit headed into fall camp, but if the receivers can avoid that injury bug stipulation, they have quite the season ahead of them.

“That’s Clemson’s brand is the receivers,” Bockhorst said. “If we’re healthy like we’re supposed to be, then good luck to anybody else.”

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Five-star OL Tristan Leigh announces college decision on Saturday

The LSU Tigers added their 22nd commitment for the 2021 recruiting class early Friday with a three-star offensive lineman.

The LSU Tigers added their 22nd commitment for the 2021 recruiting class early Friday morning when three-star offensive lineman Kimo Makaneole chose the Tigers.

Makaneole was the second offensive lineman to join LSU’s 2021 class, following offensive tackle Garrett Dellinger, who signed in December’s early signing period.

More good news could be coming LSU’s way on Saturday when five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh makes his college decision.

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Leigh plays his high school football at Robinson Secondary in Fairfax, Virginia. He will be choosing between LSU, Clemson, Florida and Oklahoma.

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Throughout Leigh’s recruitment, a new favorite has emerged multiple times. Optimism centered around LSU early this fall after Leigh and his family made the trip to Baton Rouge.

While Leigh could not meet with the coaching staff, he met with other recruits, such as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, and reportedly had a great time.

Leigh would be a massive addition to LSU’s 2021 class and has a chance to play early in his career, regardless of where he goes.

LSU currently has the No. 4 recruiting class in 2021, according to 247Sports.

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Oklahoma football recruiting: 5-star 2021 OT Tristan Leigh visiting OU for Baylor game

Oklahoma will be having another major visitor this weekend. Five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh will be in Norman, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma will be having another major visitor this weekend.

The Sooners received some good news early in the week whenever the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2021 recruiting class announced he was visiting Oklahoma. Five-star quarterback commit Caleb Williams won’t be with Emeka Egbuka alone as another target will be in town.

The Sooners made Tristan Leigh’s top-5 earlier in the summer. He would then visit for the Sooner Summit in Aug.. Ever since, Oklahoma’s trended in a good direction for the five-star offensive tackle.

This weekend will even further that as Leigh announced on Thursday that he is in Norman, Oklahoma, visiting Oklahoma again.

No, recruits cannot have contact in-person while they are visiting due to the NCAA dead period. They can, however, visit and pay for the visit on their own dime to check out the campus and surrounding area.

Oklahoma is in a final group with Alabama, Clemson, LSU and Ohio State with Florida also flirting with the No. 3 offensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting class. Leigh announced that he would be making his commitment on Jan. 2 during a televised show on NBC.

The Fairfax, Virginia, native is considered a five-star prospect by Rivals. He is considered the 17th best player in the 2021 recruiting class, the third-best offensive tackle and No. 1 player in the state of Virginia.

Oklahoma has 15 commitments in the 2021 recruiting class and has the 14th ranked recruiting class.

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Oklahoma football recruiting: 5-star OT, OU target Tristan Leigh sets commitment date

Oklahoma is going for the trifecta to finish off its offensive line recruiting class. Tristan Leigh also announced his commitment date.

Oklahoma is going for the trifecta to finish off its offensive line recruiting class.

The Sooners have been after five-star offensive guard Bryce Foster, four-star offensive tackle Savion Byrd and five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh for months now. Two of the three were together in Norman, Oklahoma, for the Sooner Summit and then Foster has visited Oklahoma on numerous occasions, including a trip of his own for Bedlam. The Sooners recently offered three-star offensive lineman Remington Strickland and have only been recruiting him momentarily.

Byrd and Foster set their commitment dates last week. Now, Leigh will be jumping in on the college choice train, as he announced his will be coming on Jan. 2.

Leigh announced a final five schools back in July and that list hasn’t changed much. Oklahoma is included alongside Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Florida. He will be revealing his commitment on live television during a broadcast dedicated to players who would be revealing their commitment during the All-American Bowl on NBC.

The Fairfax, Virginia, native is considered a five-star prospect by Rivals. He is considered the 15th best player in the 2021 recruiting class, the third-best offensive tackle and No. 1 player in the state of Virginia.

Oklahoma currently has 15 commitments in the 2021 recruiting class and has the 14th overall ranked recruiting class.

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