Tag: Tyler Grisham

Grisham has eye on talented local recruit with Clemson ties

In December, as part of its 2022 recruiting class, Clemson signed a pair of standouts from Greenville (S.C.) High School – tight end Josh Sapp and offensive lineman Collin Sadler. Another talented prospect from Greenville High that the Tigers have …

In December, as part of its 2022 recruiting class, Clemson signed a pair of standouts from Greenville (S.C.) High School – tight end Josh Sapp and offensive lineman Collin Sadler.

Another talented prospect from Greenville High that the Tigers have their eye on is Mazeo Bennett, a speedy and explosive wide receiver/defensive back in the 2024 class.

Bennett made his first recruiting visit to Clemson in October for the Florida State game, and while on campus, had the chance to talk with wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham and safeties coach/new co-defensive coordinator Mickey Conn.

Bennett spoke with The Clemson Insider recently and recalled his genuine conversation with Grisham, during which he laid out how Clemson goes about the recruiting process and let Bennett know he is on Grisham’s board for receivers in the 2024 class.

“When I talked with Coach Grisham, he kept it 100 with me,” Bennett said. “Everybody knows Clemson’s tradition in recruitment, and they don’t offer young. Coach Grisham kept that real with me. He explained the whole situation and he told me that there’s not a lot of 2024 guys that are on his board, and he told me that I’m one of them. So, when he said that, that meant something.”

Looking back on his unofficial visit to Clemson, Bennett said the family atmosphere he felt on campus around Grisham and the coaching staff is one of the things that stood out most to him.

“They made everything personal. Everything they say hits you in the heart,” he said. “Talking with Coach Grisham, he made sure that he was not only talking to me, but talking to my pops. My pops was with us in the conversation. We were having a conversation as a family.”

A 6-foot, 165-pound sophomore, Bennett has collected early offers from South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia Tech and Coastal Carolina.

An offer from Clemson in the future would certainly be huge for him, and he would love to have the opportunity to team up with Sapp and Sadler again in college with the Tigers.

“Two of my teammates are (signed) to Clemson, so they tell me everything,” Bennett said. “They love the program obviously and they’re ready to work, and they know the tradition behind Clemson, the family atmosphere, the relationship with God Clemson has, and that’s something that a lot of other schools can’t compete with.”

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Clemson ‘super pumped’ about new WR offer, legacy recruit

The Clemson Insider has the latest on a New Year’s Eve offer that was handed out to the brother of a longtime Clemson Tiger on Friday. Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School wide receiver Cole Turner has received an offer from the Tigers, according to …

The Clemson Insider has the latest on a New Year’s Eve offer that was handed out to the brother of a longtime Clemson Tiger on Friday.

Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School wide receiver Cole Turner has received an offer from the Tigers, according to Vestavia Hills head coach Sean Calhoun.

Cole, of course, is the younger brother of Clemson safety Nolan Turner.

Cole has been on Clemson receivers coach Tyler Grisham’s radar, and while the Tigers signed two receivers to their 2022 recruiting class on Dec. 15 — Myrtle Beach (S.C.) four-star Adam Randall and Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) four-star Antonio Williams — the Tigers have still remained interested in Cole.

The Clemson Insider spoke with Calhoun on Friday following Cole’s offer from Clemson.

Off the field, Cole is a pretty low-key guy. But this morning, Calhoun could hear the excitement over the phone after Cole had let him know that he had been offered a scholarship by Clemson.

Soon then after came the phone call from Grisham.

“He told me that he spoke to Cole and offered him a scholarship,” Calhoun said. “They’re really excited about him as a receiver. Think he has a huge ceiling, his frame, his speed. Clemson’s done a really good job in finding certain positions of kids who are a little under-the-radar. Kids, who should’ve been more heavily recruited but were not. I definitely think Cole’s one of them. He definitely talked about that.”

“They’re super pumped,” he added. “We’re super excited. It’s great.”

Calhoun said that he made sure to tell Grisham that while Cole is a real good football player, he knows how Clemson likes to build its program.

“Most importantly, Cole is a great person,” Calhoun said, “and he’s a really good kid. He’s gonna be a positive influence and a positive role model for the University. He’s gonna be great in the locker room, in the weight room, on the field. You’re getting all-around. You’re not getting a football player that’s maybe a turd and is gonna cause you some off-the-field issues. Cole kind of gives you the all-around package in my opinion.” 

Calhoun also warned Grisham in their conversation this morning about what Cole can do with his legs.

“I’m telling ya now, you’re gonna be shocked about how good he can run,” Calhoun recalled. “He’s got them little, skinny white legs rolling and he can run. We don’t have many here, who can just take the top off, but he can really run.”

Calhoun talked with Cole and his mom and emphasized that he needed to remain patient throughout the process. According to Calhoun, in the recruiting realm, if Cole’s senior film was his sophomore film or junior year film, he’d likely have 25-plus offers.

“A lot of people don’t understand how recruiting works and he’s one of those only-senior film guys and his senior film is exceptional,” Calhoun said. “And he’s doing it against exceptional opponents. When you have a senior-only guy, a lot of schools — let’s just talk Power 5 — a lot of them are already full. So, it was a tedious process of finding people who weren’t full or finding people who lost a kid or two in the portal or the draft. To go through all that and get this call today and talk to them, I can’t be even more thrilled for Cole.”

“You have a kid who has seen his brother go under-the-radar tremendously,” he added. “His brother, Nolan, was a heck of a high school football player. To think that he didn’t have any offers a week before signing day blows me away. Cole had seen it, but then it’s totally different when you have to go through it.”

An official visit to Clemson has not been scheduled yet, but Calhoun imagines that will likely be in the cards. Though, he can confirm that Grisham, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and possibly some other assistant coaches are probably gonna come down to Vestavia Hills and watch Cole play basketball at some point.

Right now, the plan is for Cole to commit on signing day. Whether he will be signing with Clemson remains to be seen, but this was the offer he was waiting on.

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‘He’s second to none’: Coach details Clemson’s Christmas offer to big-time WR

The Clemson Insider wanted to find out some more details about how a Christmas Day offer to a priority receiver target came to fruition. So, we spoke with Hickory Ridge (Harrisburg, N.C.) 2023 four-star WR Christian Hamilton’s position coach, Justin …

The Clemson Insider wanted to find out some more details about how a Christmas Day offer to a priority receiver target came to fruition.

So, we spoke with Hickory Ridge (Harrisburg, N.C.) 2023 four-star WR Christian Hamilton’s position coach, Justin Hagler.

There are few people inside the game of football that know Hamilton better than his wide receivers coach at Hickory Ridge. Hagler also serves as the program’s Junior Varsity head coach and offensive coordinator.

He couldn’t pass up an opportunity to talk about a player that makes him a better coach.

“Me and Christian have built a relationship over the past three years,” Hagler told TCI. “Really, deep down, it’s always been about that Clemson offer, man. I don’t know what it’s been about all the other ones, but this one, he’s been waiting on it, waiting on it. I remember when Coach Grisham came out…I think Christian had scored his second touchdown [of the game] and [Grisham] was over in the corner and he was like ‘Man, give me my O. Give me my O.’ 

“It’s cool. It’s exciting for him. It’s exciting for  his family, for us coaches and the school, for him to finally get that one from Clemson.”

Hagler has spoken with Tyler Grisham briefly and Clemson’s wide receivers coach wants to connect with him after the Tigers participate in Wednesday’s Cheez-It Bowl.

Hickory Ridge held its end-of-year awards banquet on Dec. 10. Hagler was in charge of giving out the team’s Offensive Player of the Year award, which, of course, went to Hamilton.

“What can you say in a few moments in front of parents and players? It just came naturally,” Hagler said. “And what I said was — and I’ll repeat it to you — he’s the ‘epitome of attitude and leadership on-and-off the field. He’s so motivated, so determined to protect his craft. He brings a lot of swag too. He’s always got new gloves on. It’s just the attitude thing. They say in “Remember the Titans,” ‘attitude reflects leadership’ and it comes with it. When No. 7 suits up, man, it’s game on. 

“A few things that stand out to me on the field is that he plays all three facets of the game. He plays receiver. He plays a little cornerback for us, as well as kickoff return and punt return. He’s the guy. He’s the go-to when we need a big, big play and when No. 7’s in there, you know you have a great chance of seeing it. On the field, he’s second to none. In the classroom, he’s a great student. He’s respectful. He’s quiet. He’s got a great friend circle too…just seeing him gown since his freshman year has been tremendous.”

Hagler had a funny story to pass along. On Day 1 of Hamilton’s freshman year summer camp, Hagler’s down there calling offensive plays. 

“This kid ran a perfect 7 route, man, a post,” he said. “Stuck his foot in the ground, skimmed the cornerback, caught the ball in the air, full stride and took the ball to the house. That was actually the last chance I had to call plays with him on JV because Coach Wilson pulled him right on up to varsity and he performed from that first snap.”

Hamilton scored two touchdowns in the very first game of his freshman year in a comeback victory against a crosstown rival

“Since Day 1, he’s been that guy,” Hagler said. “To see him get faster, smarter and stronger has really been the cherry on top for us coaches. He’s been the guy for us on Fridays. We are excited to see what he’s gonna be able to do his senior year.”

Hamilton is a soft-spoken guy, who holds his cards close to his chest, especially with his recruitment.

“He always has that little extra glimmer in his eye when he’s talking about Clemson,” Hagler said. “He enjoyed his trip. He enjoys the conversations with the coaches. He’s just hungry to get his chance, man. He’s got some great offers on the table from Oregon to Ohio State to Georgia to Carolina and I think this was the cherry on top for him…Clemson was the 29th offer and I think he’s almost most excited about it, to be honest with you.”

Hagler holds the way Clemson goes about its business on the recruiting trail in high regard.

“You can respect an establishment that takes their time and does their due diligence,” he said, “making sure that it’s not a fluke year and he’s consistent. I think that just shows and that’s what Coach Grisham was saying checking on his film again, he was like, ‘How can we not offer this guy?'”

Hamilton ranks as the No. 21 wide receiver, No. 2 prospect in the state of North Carolina and No. 132 overall prospect nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

“I told him, I’d wear any color he wears,” Hagler said. “I’m not a Carolina fan, but if it’s blue, I’ll wear some blue. I’ll definitely wear some orange if it ends up orange. He’s a great kid, man.”

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Promising Palmetto State DB reflects on ‘great experience’ at Clemson

A promising Palmetto State defensive back is drawing early interest from Clemson and attended a game at Death Valley earlier this season. West Florence High School (Florence, S.C.) 2024 safety Kelvin Hunter was on campus Oct. 30 to take in the …

A promising Palmetto State defensive back is drawing early interest from Clemson and attended a game at Death Valley earlier this season.

West Florence High School (Florence, S.C.) 2024 safety Kelvin Hunter was on campus Oct. 30 to take in the Tigers’ 30-20 win over Florida State.

“I enjoyed it,” Hunter said to The Clemson Insider, looking back on the unofficial game-day visit. “I got to meet some of the coaches, and the atmosphere and the fans were great, and the game. It was just a great experience.”

One of the most memorable parts of the visit experience for Hunter – a 6-foot-1, 185-pound sophomore – took place after Dabo Swinney’s team defeated the Seminoles.

“One thing that stands out to me was at the end of the game, the recruits got to go into the locker room and see the players celebrate and hear Coach Swinney talk to the team,” Hunter said.

Another highlight of the visit for Hunter was getting to spend time with legendary Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, now an offensive player development coach on Swinney’s staff.

“I got to meet Tajh Boyd, and we were just talking about how my recruitment is going, and he told me about how his went and how he ended up back at Clemson,” Hunter said. “It was great. I grew up watching him, so it was great to finally meet him.”

Hunter was invited to the Clemson-FSU game by Tigers assistant coach Tyler Grisham, who recently stopped by Hunter’s school to check up on him and speak with his coaches.

The interest from Clemson and fact Grisham took time to pay Hunter a visit means a lot to him.

“It feels good to know that I’m being noticed and that I have the talent to be there,” he said.

Hunter holds offers from South Carolina and Charlotte, while schools such as North Carolina, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and East Carolina are showing interest, along with Clemson.

An offer from the Tigers in the future, should Hunter receive one, would certainly be significant for the standout in-state recruit.

“To get an offer from them would be great,” he said, “to know that my hard work is paying off and to keep working.”

Asked what stands out most to him about Clemson’s football program, Hunter said, “I would have to say the coaching and the national championships.”

Hunter also made an unofficial visit to South Carolina during the season.

As a sophomore this season, he registered 21 solo tackles, 13 assists, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, a pass breakup and a defensive touchdown.

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Grisham building strong bond with 4-star Florida WR

Tyler Grisham stopped by the basketball practice of a talented wide receiver in the 2023 recruiting class. Lakeland (Fla.) High School 2023 four-star Tyler Williams is starting to build up his relationship with Clemson’s wide receiver coach. “Really …

Tyler Grisham stopped by the basketball practice of a talented wide receiver in the 2023 recruiting class.

Lakeland (Fla.) High School 2023 four-star Tyler Williams is starting to build up his relationship with Clemson’s wide receiver coach.

“Really just keep doing what I’m doing,” Williams said regarding Grisham’s message to him. “They don’t really offer a lot of guys fast. They like to recruit you, make sure you feel at home and you feel well coming to the school. He said he likes what he’s seen, that I’m an athlete and really just want to see improvements as the year goes on.”

 How does Williams feel about Clemson’s recruitment process?

“That’s a good thing, getting to know me as a person outside of football,” he said. “I want to build a good relationship with the coaches and make sure that I like it and I feel like I’m at home. So, that lets me know that he actually likes what he sees and my production.”

 While their relationship is just starting to take off, Williams says that he already views Grisham as a “mentor.”

“Really we’re just building a bond,” he added. “If I have any questions, I’ll ask him.”

Clemson’s history at the wide receiver position and the moniker of “WRU” certainly stands out to Williams. The fact that former Tigers like DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Tee Higgins, Hunter Renfrow and Mike Williams are doing what they are at the next level, kind of speaks for itself.

“That’s a great thing,” Williams said. “Those are some of the top receivers in the league right now. Development-wise, I can tell they came out of college, proven pros around 19-years-old. I know if I go there and I’m under [Grisham’s] wing, I know he’ll improve my skill set to be a top receiver.”

As for Williams, he prides himself on his Yards after catch (YAC), so obviously his speed is a big factor. In the open field, it’ll take more than just one person to bring him down as he’s a threat to score everytime he touches the ball. He runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and is hoping to get that down to 4.4 by the spring. Blocking is another key part of Williams’ game that coaches like about him, he said.

He’s also a dual sport athlete and a very talented basketball player at that. 

His basketball future will depend on if he’s able to play both sports at the next level, or if he’ll end up having to ultimately choose one sport. He has an equal love for both of them.

When it comes down to it, what factors is Williams looking for in a school at the next level?

“Really just a good relationship with the coaches,” he said. “I feel like throwing the ball-wise, how many times I get the ball doesn’t really matter.”

Across his junior campaign, Williams caught 18 of 23 targets with 700 yards receiving and 13 total touchdowns.

Williams is ranked as the No. 28 wide receiver prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, while 247Sports ranks him as the No. 32 player at his position in his class.

He’s hopeful that he can make an unofficial visit to Clemson this spring.

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Clemson reaching out more to teammate of 5-star signee

Following an impressive performance in Texas’s 6A State Championship, in which he was named the game’s offensive MVP, Clemson has vamped up its interest in the teammate of a class of 2022 signee. Jaden Greathouse, a 2023 four-star wide receiver from …

Following an impressive performance in Texas’s 6A State Championship, in which he was named the game’s offensive MVP, Clemson has vamped up its interest in the teammate of a class of 2022 signee.

Jaden Greathouse, a 2023 four-star wide receiver from Austin’s (Texas) Westlake High School was in contact with Clemson wide receiver coach Tyler Grisham, as recently as this past weekend.

Greathouse is teammates with Clemson’s five-star quarterback signee Cade Klubnik. The two maintain a close relationship on and off the field, one which could continue at the next level, now that the Tigers are expressing more interest.

“With Cade [Klubnik] being committed to Clemson already, he has a good relationship with the coaches, so he’s been helping out, giving them info on me,” Greathouse told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview Monday. “So, they’ve started to reach out a little bit more.”

Greathouse is planning on sending his season highlights to Grisham in the near future and is hopeful that they’ll continue to have communication. 

“I’ve been talking to Coach Grisham a little bit, here and there,” he said.

Greathouse is a strong, physical receiver who loves to watch wide receivers like Julio Jones and Davante Adams. He’s always studying their film and copying their moves to take his game to the next level.

It certainly helped for Klubnik to have a receiver of that caliber out wide.

What would it mean for Greathouse to have an opportunity to play with his close, personal friend at the next level?

“Cade’s my brother for sure,” Greathouse said. “We’ve been playing for so long and we have incredible chemistry. I’m sure that would continue at the next level. 

That, of course, was on display in Westlake’s 40-21 state championship victory this past Saturday. Greathouse recorded 236 receiving yards — a Texas state championship game record — and three receiving touchdowns (62, 69 and 71 yards) in the win.

Westlake was down 14-13 to Denton Guyer at halftime, but veteran leaders like Klubnik and Greathouse never flinched. They went out there and executed, outscoring Guyer 27-7 in the second half, to secure the program’s third-straight state title victory.

“None of us were worried, we’ve been doing this for so long now,” he said. “We knew how the second half was gonna go. We just needed to go out there and execute the game plan.”

Besides Westlake’s now-former legendary head coach, Todd Dodge, there are few people better equipped to talk about the person Klubnik is on and off the field. We know how good of a player he is, but Greathouse was able to give a better look into who his friend and teammate is as a person.

“Cade’s one of the greatest people that I know,” Greathouse said. “He’s an incredible role model and an incredible leader. He’s a man of God and has a great relationship with his faith. I mean every single day he’s just looking to improve himself, help others and live the best life that he can.”

With that being said, what has Klubnik told Greathouse about Clemson?

“He loves all the coaches there,” Greathouse said. “He took a lot of time with God to help guide him in his decision and he feels very confident about it.”

As far as his own recruitment is concerned, Greathouse is hopeful that now that his junior season is over, he can start taking a lot more visits, while continuing to build relationships with all the coaches that are currently recruiting him.

What are some of the more important factors he’s looking for in a school at the next level?

“Just a place where I can get my degree and become not just a better football player, but a better man,” he said. “And hopefully, a place that’ll develop me and take me to the next level.”

Greathouse ranks as the No. 17 wide receiver and No. 106 overall prospect in this 2023 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He currently holds offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina, SMU, Texas,​​ Texas A&M and West Virginia.

As mentioned before, his recruitment is wide open at the moment. There is certainly mutual interest between him and Clemson.

“My recruitment’s open to everybody and obviously, I would love to get in communication a lot more with them, start building relationships and take a visit out there,” Greathouse said.

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Three potential candidates for Texas’ WR coach

A list of wide receiver coaches Texas should target.

News broke on Sunday that Texas wide receivers coach Andre Coleman would not be retained for the 2022 season.

Steve Sarkisian will undoubtedly target a coach with a proven track record in both development and recruiting. Texas had 15 wide receivers only the roster last season but failed to get much production outside of two or three guys.

Despite signing the No. 5 class in the country during the early signing period, Texas still has some holes at wide receiver.

Recruiting at the wide receiver position has been an issue for the Longhorns over the past couple of years. Texas only landed one receiver in the 2022 class while missing out on elite talents like Evan Stewart and CJ Williams.

Whoever Sarkisian hires will need to look to the transfer portal to add talent and depth to the room.

Take a look at a few candidates to replace Coleman as the wide receivers coach.

Grisham keeping tabs on ‘diamond in the rough’ receiver prospect with Clemson ties

The Clemson Insider recently learned that Tyler Grisham made his way to the alma mater of two current Clemson players. Grisham visited Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School and met with the program’s head coach, Sean Calhoun. He was there to inquire …

The Clemson Insider recently learned that Tyler Grisham made his way to the alma mater of two current Clemson players.

Grisham visited Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School and met with the program’s head coach, Sean Calhoun. He was there to inquire about an underrated prospect in the class of 2022 by the name of Cole Turner.

If that last name sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Cole is the younger brother of longtime Clemson safety, Nolan Turner.

While Nolan will be moving on from Clemson after this season, as he no longer has any remaining eligibility, there’s a possibility that he could still be connected to the program through his brother.

Cole has been on Grisham’s radar and while Clemson signed two receivers to its 2022 recruiting class on Wednesday — Myrtle Beach (S.C.) four-star Adam Randall and Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) four-star Antonio Williams — the Tigers still remain interested in Cole.

“He was definitely here to see Cole Turner,” Calhoun told TCI this week. “Cole is definitely on their radar. They are definitely on the right kid. So, obviously, you just got to see how [Wednesday’s] signing day goes and hopefully they’ll come back in January and come and see him again.”

Calhoun peeled back the curtain on what his conversation with Clemson’s wide receivers coach looked like.

“He wanted to know what kind of person Cole was first,” he said. “Before we talked any kind of football talk, it was, what kind of person is Cole? What kind of student is Cole? They wanted to know about the person first and obviously, we talked about football stuff, pros, cons, what he’s good at and what he can get better at.”

It’s no secret that Clemson is very thorough when it comes to its recruitment process.

Calhoun indicated that Clemson has not given him or Turner a decision either way in terms of whether they’d offer him a scholarship or as a PWO. 

“Cole is definitely worth it,” he said. “Cole is an under-the-radar guy. He’s one of those stereotypical guys, who didn’t have much junior film and has a lot of senior film. And, it’s really good and it’s vs. really, really good opponents. He’s a good player.”

Turner’s first Division I offer came from Buffalo. 

Buffalo’s coaches told Calhoun that they watched four clips of Turner’s tape and were set on offering him right then and there. Needless to say, they did.

“That’s just how explosive he is,” Calhoun said. “Again, he’s just not on recruiting boards because if his senior film was his junior film, he’d be a three/four-star. But, he’s not and I think that the people that do see it and do get on him at this time, whoever gets him is definitely gonna get an absolute diamond in the rough. There’s no doubt about it.”

Calhoun is a firm believer in Turner’s versatility, which is what Clemson certainly looks for in its receivers.

“I definitely think he can play inside, outside and he’s definitely a good return man,” he said. “He took a handful of punts to the house and took a kickoff to the house this year. To me, Cole is a kid that you want the ball in his hands because I think he can go the distance anytime. He’s very versatile and he’s only gonna get bigger and stronger once he gets in a college weight program.”

Turner, obviously, did not sign early. Between now and the February signing period, he’ll get a chance to see how some of the chips fall.

Turner has taken unofficial visits to both Ole Miss and South Florida. He has a handful of offers from FCS schools like East Tennessee State, Central Arkansas and Samford, in addition to the aforementioned offer from the University of Buffalo.

Calhoun didn’t want the conversation to end before he got the chance to talk about one of his former players, who is now a current defensive end/outside linebacker on Clemson’s roster, Kevin Swint.

“Hopefully, if Cole can get up there, that would be my second player that’s gone to Clemson,” he said. “That’s really exciting.”

What has Swint told Calhoun about Clemson?

“Whenever I talk to my players that went to college, the first thing I ask them is, ‘are you happy with your decision?’ He just smiles ear to ear,” Calhoun added. “He’s always wearing something orange. He’s obviously getting a good education and getting better athletically. He’s loving every bit of it.”

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Randall, Williams were ‘born and groomed’ to play wideout at Clemson

Clemson’s two new wide receiver signees were destined to become Tigers and fulfilled that destiny when they inked with Dabo Swinney’s program on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period for college football. Not only are Adam Randall and …

Clemson’s two new wide receiver signees were destined to become Tigers and fulfilled that destiny when they inked with Dabo Swinney’s program on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period for college football.

Not only are Adam Randall and Antonio Williams both four-star recruits from the Palmetto State and each ranked as top-150 national prospects in the 2022 class, but they both wore No. 8 for their respective high school teams, and also share the same birthday – they were both born on July 14, 2004.

“I guess it was just a great day to be born to play wide receiver at Clemson because (Williams), not only is he from South Carolina, but he and Adam have the exact same birthday,” Swinney pointed out Wednesday during Clemson Football’s National Signing Day Show.

“So, they were both literally born – I guess that was ’04, holy cow – they were born and groomed to come play wideout for the Clemson Tigers.”

With the additions of Randall and Williams, Clemson signed two in-state wide receivers in a single class for the first time since 2011, when the Tigers signed Dorman’s Charone Peake and Adam Humphries – a duo that has gone on to combine for more than 325 receptions and more than 3,200 receiving yards in the NFL.

A product of Myrtle Beach High School, Randall will be Clemson’s first receiver from the Myrtle Beach area since Hunter Renfrow (2014-18), who began his storied Clemson career as a walk-on.

Randall, listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and possessing freakish athleticism, has garnered the nickname “Baby Julio” in comparison to star NFL wideout Julio Jones. Randall will continue to wear the No. 8 he donned in high school and will be the next player to sport that number for the Tigers, following Justyn Ross.

“They call him ‘Baby Julio,’” Swinney said. “He’s going to be No. 8. So, he’ll be taking Justyn Ross’s jersey, and y’all are going to feel like Justyn Ross grew a little bit. This is a big, big, strong man. Unbelievable player. One of the best kids.”

Randall, who committed to Clemson on Christmas Day 2020, plans to play in the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando in January and is expected to enroll at Clemson in January as well.

Randall was one of five finalists for Mr. Football in South Carolina and a first-team All-State 4A selection by the South Carolina Coaches Association as a senior this season, when he posted 1,267 receiving yards on 65 catches with 16 touchdowns. He played in the North-South All-Star Game in Myrtle Beach and was a Shrine Bowl selection for South Carolina.

Randall helped Myrtle Beach to a state title in 2018 and a 12-1 record in 2021.

“Adam Randall comes from a phenomenal program in Myrtle Beach High School with Mickey Wilson, and so he’s well coached,” Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham said via Randall’s official Clemson bio. “He’s got great coaches. He also has great trainers he works with on the side. So, he’s always working on his craft. And what you’ll see is he’s a big-bodied receiver. Has a great frame, but he’s worked on his speed. So, he can outrun his competition, which is a deadly combination, that size and speed. But because of how well he’s coached, he’s a great route runner, can sink his hips, get in and out of his breaks with ease, can run any route you throw at him, and he also is able to go up and make the contested play. He’s a big-bodied guy – man, just throw it up and give him a chance. So, he can do it all.”

As for Williams, he was a late pickup for Clemson, which beat out South Carolina and Auburn among others to land his commitment on Dec. 9, just six days prior to the start of the early signing period.

Williams is a highly regarded player from Dutch Fork High School, where he was teammates with Clemson’s Will Taylor in 2020. Williams is ranked as a top-100 player nationally by ESPN, which considers him the No. 83 overall player in the nation, the ninth-best receiver and the third-best player in South Carolina.

Like Randall, Williams plans to play in the Under Armour All-America Game next month. He played on three state championship teams at Dutch Fork and lost only one game in his high school career, which saw him finish with 137 career catches for 2,458 yards and 23 touchdowns.

As a senior in 2021, Williams tallied 85 catches for 1,625 yards (including 10 100-yard receiving games) and 15 scores while helping Dutch Fork reach the state championship game and finish with a 12-1 record.

Williams plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2022.

“We’re excited about Antonio, man,” Grisham said via Williams’ official Clemson bio. “He comes from a phenomenal program in Dutch Fork, a winning program, and his skillset is phenomenal. He’s very versatile and can play the slot. He has great acceleration, short-area quickness, YAC (yards after catch) – definitely what we are looking for, too, from that slot position. But he also has good length. He can play outside at the field position, and phenomenal route runner. He has had phenomenal receiver coaches and has always worked on his craft. So, definitely excited to bring him into the wide receiver room.”

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Randall tells TCI he and Williams can ‘do great things together’

The Clemson Insider caught up with a Clemson commit just a couple of minutes after a future teammate of his made a big announcement. Myrtle Beach (S.C.) four-star wide receiver Adam Randall was enthused by the news that Antonio Williams would be …

The Clemson Insider caught up with a Clemson commit just a couple of minutes after a future teammate of his made a big announcement.

Myrtle Beach (S.C.) four-star wide receiver Adam Randall was enthused by the news that Antonio Williams would be coming to Clemson. The fellow four-star wide receiver out of Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) verbally pledged to the Tigers close to 9 p.m. Thursday night.

“I’m very excited,” Randall told TCI. “I’m just glad that we got him on board. I’m just excited to see me and him play at Clemson and hopefully, we’ll do great things together.

“I recruited him as soon as he got that offer and I was on him. I think we can do great things together. And, it’s nice to have another South Carolina person, but especially him being a receiver. Us going into that receiver room together coming from South Carolina, I think we can do something special.”

Obviously, Randall was recruited by Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham himself, so he knows what went into sealing Williams’ commitment.

“I’ve known Coach Grisham for a very long time, ever since eighth grade when I was converting over to receiver going into my ninth-grade year in high school,” he said. “It just means a lot to me. I know he’s a really, really good coach and a really, really genuine guy. I think he can help me grow and develop as a man and as a receiver, so that was one of the things that went into my decision. I’m really excited to play for him and also Coach Swinney and play with [his son] Clay.”

Randall was visited by both Grisham and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, who stopped by his home in Myrtle Beach on the evening of Dec. 1.

“It went well,” Randall said of his in-home visit with Clemson. “They’re nice, genuine guys. I already knew that from my visits up to Clemson, but it was just nice for them to come to see where I live and see where I come from and just them being able to see my extended family and things like that. It was just a very neat thing for them to come to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and see what I do on a regular day-to-day basis.”

Randall already felt like he made the right decision before Swinney and Grisham paid a visit to him and his family.

“Just them being able to meet my family, they fell in love with them as soon as they got here”, he added. “I feel like my family feels that I’m being put in good hands and that I can grow as a man and as a football player when I get to Clemson.”

Randall will sign his National Letter of Intent during the early signing period starting Dec. 15 and enroll at Clemson shortly thereafter. 

“It’s gonna be exciting with our teammates coming together,” he said. “Hopefully, we can build some chemistry. Hopefully, we can get a couple of guys on board since some other guys dipped out on us. I’m just really excited to see what we can be and see what this recruiting class can bring to the program.”

This particular class now has five solid commitments — including Williams — from prospects in the Palmetto State. Besides Randall, there’s also Mauldin (S.C.) four-star cornerback Jeadyn Lukus and Greenville (S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Collin Sadler and three-star tight end Josh Sapp.

“It’s really exciting,” Randall said. “Five guys from South Carolina, I mean that’s a really big deal. It just means that our recruiting class from South Carolina is a heck of a recruiting class at one of the top programs in the nation…I know that we can do some special things as South Carolina boys and South Carolina natives.

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