When David Ojiegbe visited for Clemson’s Orange & White Spring Game on April 9, the four-star edge rusher out of St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) knew he wanted to be a Tiger.
In a phone interview with The Clemson Insider Saturday, Ojiegbe said that he informed Clemson coach Dabo Swinney of his decision prior to the spring game. Though, he didn’t formally announce his decision to commit to Clemson over schools like Maryland, Miami, Michigan and North Carolina until this past Wednesday, April 27.
“Faith, family and football,” Ojiegbe said when asked why he chose Clemson, “and the family vibes I’ve already felt them…They’re gonna make me a better man and a better football player. They’re gonna develop me in everything, every aspect of life at the next level, whether that’s going to the league or into the workforce.”
Ojiegbe felt very good about Clemson after he visited for the program’s second junior day of the year on March 5. While he wasn’t trying to talk himself out of the way he felt, Ojiegbe also didn’t want to make a decision too fast.
“I definitely wanted to see other schools, but that vibe I got there and the feeling I got there, I didn’t get that at other schools,” he said. “I already had someone from my school there — Tré Williams — definitely knowing him helps and a couple of other guys like Malcolm Greene. That’s some guys I mess with. That’s some guys I’m cool with.”
Clemson isn’t going to hand Ojiegbe anything, but there’s an opportunity for him to come into Lemanski Hall’s room and compete to play early.
“It’s a huge factor, getting on the field early and playing as early as a freshman is definitely huge,” Ojiegbe. “Not a lot of people can say that they can come into a Power Five school like Clemson and just be starting, even playing. It’s definitely a huge factor, but I have to put in the work and grind. If I come down there correct, I can definitely get it done.”
Ojiegbe is planning on taking his official visit to Clemson on June 3-5. He’ll likely have the chance to meet with Clemson’s other class of 2023 commits —Edison (Miami, Fla.) four-star wide receiver Ray-Ray Joseph, Briarwood Christian (Alabama) four-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina and Bridgeland (Texas) four-star tight end Reid Mikeska — as well as some other prospects that the Tigers are targeting.
“Definitely,” he said when asked if Clemson’s 2023 recruiting class has a chance to be special. “Just the culture and the vibe everybody’s getting, it’s definitely going to be a great class. It’s going to be one of the best classes to come out. If we come in there correct, be humble, work very hard and grind, we can definitely be a very special class.”
While there are some big shoes to fill as Clemson’s outgoing class will likely have a number of a first-round picks in next year’s NFL draft, Ojiegbe is trying to sell others on the mindset of coming in and being ready to play early, but at the same time knowing that a starting spot isn’t going to be just handed to them.
“There are definitely some dogs that come in here and play early,” he said.
Ojiegbe indicated that the commits have started honing in on some four-star targets like Fairfax (Va.) linebacker Tony Rojas and Denmark (Alpharetta, Ga.) LB Dee Crayton, as well as Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) defensive end AJ Hoffler.
He’s already sticking out his neck for Hall on the recruiting trail. Ojiegbe is confident that Hall can do the same for him that he’s done for players like K.J. Henry, Xavier Thomas, Myles Murphy and Justin Mascoll.
“He definitely helped them get to that level they reached,” Ojiegbe said of Hall. “I’m very excited that he can develop me like those guys.”
Ojiegbe connected almost instantly with Clemson’s defensive ends coach and can’t wait to be able to play hard for him once he arrives on campus.
While he would like to be an early enrollee, Ojiegbe said he might not know if that’s feasible until after the completion of his senior season.
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