Among the headlining visitors in attendance for Clemson’s elite junior day this past Saturday was Warner Robins (Ga.) High School five-star Vic Burley, the No. 6 defensive lineman and No. 33 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Burley (6-4, 275) spoke with The Clemson Insider about his experience on campus for the Tigers’ elite junior day.
“I enjoyed it well. It was a great visit,” he said. “It felt really familiar. I didn’t feel out of place. It just felt like I fit in.”
Burley, who received an offer from the Tigers on June 1 of last year, previously visited Clemson for the UConn game in November after also traveling to Tiger Town last June.
The highlight of his latest trip to Clemson was hanging out at head coach Dabo Swinney’s house with the other elite junior day visitors on hand.
“We ate, played around, went to the indoor basketball court,” he said. “Played basketball there, just having fun, just hanging out with everybody.”
Burley enjoyed catching up with fellow Peach State standout Justice Haynes, a four-star running back from Blessed Trinity Catholic High School (Roswell, Ga.). Burley also hit it off with Westside High School (Jacksonville, Fla.) four-star defensive lineman Jordan Hall and met five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik, who enrolled at Clemson in January.
“My boy Justice Haynes, he’s been my boy since we played them. That was my 10th grade year,” Burley said. “I built a bond with Jordan Hall. He was a cool dude to be around. I met Cade (Klubnik), the quarterback from Texas.”
Of the coaches, Burley spent the most time with Swinney and new defensive tackles coach Nick Eason.
“Their message wasn’t even about football to me,” Burley said. “It was just finding the right fit for yourself.”
Burley believes his bond with Swinney, Eason and Clemson’s staff grew stronger during Saturday’s visit.
“I felt like it got stronger during my visit, just being around them the whole time, just building more trust, more connection with them,” he said. “Those are great people, great dudes. There’s nothing negative you can say about them. There’s nothing negative you can say about the coaching staff in total.”
Burley hopes to make it back to Clemson during spring practice.
Where do the Tigers stand in his recruitment following the elite junior day?
“I know they’re at the top, I just don’t really have a good (feel) on my list right now,” he said. “But I know they’re at the top, though.”
Burley, who said his recruitment is “still pretty wide open,” is looking to make his commitment “probably around close to the end” of his upcoming senior season. He feels schools such as Ohio State, Georgia, Ole Miss, Auburn, Tennessee, Penn State and Florida State are recruiting him the hardest right now, along with Clemson.
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.
Keep yo hands off my rock🐅 pic.twitter.com/s5czQ7lb1a
— Victor Burley (@VictorBurley2) January 30, 2022
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