TigerNet.com
Saturday, March 16, 2013 1:02 PM
Tight end commit talks visit, Bama offer
by David Hood
Senior Writer

Cannon Smith made a return visit to Clemson last Saturday, a visit that included time spent watching practice, taking a tour of the new indoor practice facility and time spent just chatting with tight ends coach Danny Pearman.

Smith is a 2014 Clemson tight end commitment out of Columbia (SC) Hammond School, and he is the son of former Clemson defensive end Bill Smith, who played for the Tigers from 1977-81, won a National Championship ring, and is also on the Clemson Board of Trustees.

Smith said they arrived on campus to see the Tigers practice in Death Valley.

“We got up there and watched practice and got to see all of the drills,” Smith told TigerNet. “It was good to see all of the different things they do, and to watch how they work out and the drills.”

Following the practice, Smith and some of the other recruits took a tour of the facilities.

“After practice, they showed us the WestZone, the weight rooms, and all of the other facilities,” Smith said. “I also got to see the new indoor practice facility. I had seen it from the outside, but that was my first time actually being inside of it. I thought it was extremely nice. They had the big screen on in there, and that turf was really nice. It is pretty sweet.”

Following the tours, Smith spent time talking to Pearman, who gave the Clemson legacy a glimpse into the life of a college football player.


“We went into Coach Pearman’s office, and we talked for a little bit about life,” Smith said. “He pretty much just told us that life in college would be hard, but if we work hard and give it all we have every day in practice and work hard, that is all they really want out of us. He said the entire coaching staff would be like a second father to us, and that they just expect us to do our best.”

Smith recently picked up his second offer, this one from Alabama. Former Clemson coach and area recruiter Chris Rumph made the offer, and Smith wound up talking to Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, who told Smith he thought he would make a great tight end for Alabama.

However, Smith said he really hasn’t made a decision on a visit.

“Not yet, because we have been really busy and we haven’t had a chance to sit down and talk about it,” he said. “But I am committed to Clemson, and not really thinking about Alabama. That is all I can say at the moment.”

Smith said he is also hearing from LSU, Georgia, Florida St., Louisville, Notre Dame and Nebraska.

As a junior, Smith caught 37 passes for 567 yards and five touchdowns.



David Hood can be reached at davidhood@tigernet.com