Clemson defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall continues to stay in touch with this standout D-line prospect from the Tar Heel State.
New Bern (N.C.) High School four-star class of 2023 recruit Keith Sampson heard from Hall again this week.
“Me and Coach Hall just texted yesterday actually,” Sampson told The Clemson Insider earlier this week. “So, I’ve been hearing from Coach Hall.”
What message did Hall convey to the 6-foot-4, 285-pound junior during their latest text conversation?
“Same thing – just keep working hard, keep being a leader and just keep perfecting my craft,” Sampson said.
Sampson, who has camped at Clemson in the past and returned to campus for an unofficial visit in July, feels his relationship with Hall is growing.
“It’s getting better,” he said. “It’s getting stronger from when I first met him. But it’s definitely getting better.”
“He’s a good man,” Sampson added. “He’s genuine.”
Sampson will soon narrow down his list of nearly 20 scholarship offers when he announces his top 10 schools this coming Wednesday.
Clemson won’t make the list, as the Tigers have not yet offered Sampson, who said his top 10 will only feature schools that have offered him. However, Sampson isn’t looking to commit until sometime during his senior season next year, so Clemson has time to potentially enter the mix moving forward.
Although Clemson’s 2021 season hasn’t gone how Dabo Swinney and company would have hoped to this point, Sampson likes the fight he’s seen in the Tigers.
“Even though they’re having a down year, they just keep fighting and just keep trying to get better,” he said. “You can tell that even though they’re having a down year, that they’re improving every week. That’s a big thing for me.”
Sampson said he’s looking to possibly visit Death Valley for a game before season’s end. He attended the Clemson-UGA game in Charlotte and has also been to games at North Carolina and NC State this season, while he will be at Virginia Tech for its game vs. Notre Dame tonight and plans to visit Ohio State for its game vs. Penn State on Oct. 30.
Georgia, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia Tech, Ohio State and Penn State have all offered Sampson, along with schools such as Alabama, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, Duke and Virginia.
Sampson is ranked as the No. 26 defensive lineman and No. 171 overall prospect in the 2023 class by 247Sports. Through the first five games of his junior season, he was credited with 36 total tackles, including 11 for loss and six sacks.
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