Newest Clemson commit has been a "Tiger since birth"

Spector works out at Dabo Swinney's camp in June

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Sat Aug 15 16:48:40 GMT-04:00 2015

Baylon Spector Baylon Spector
Safety
6-2, 205
Calhoun, GA
View Full Profile was on campus with his family Saturday afternoon, helping move his older sister in to the dorms for her freshman year, when he decided he wanted Clemson to be his home as well.

The 2017 safety/outside linebacker prospect out of Calhoun (GA) gave his verbal to Clemson head coach Dabo SwinneyDabo Swinney
Head Coach
View Full Profile Saturday afternoon after an alumni function the family attended with his father, former Clemson wide receiver Robbie Spector, who played for the Tigers from 1987-1990.

Spector is the first commitment for the 2017 recruiting cycle for the Tigers, and he said seeing his sister move in helped him with his decision.

“I've always wanted to play at Clemson. It's special place. Clemson is just Clemson,” Spector told TigerNet shortly after his decision. “We actually came up here to move my sister in, but my dad is an alumni so we came to the football alumni barbecue. I knew I wanted to come to Clemson, so I went ahead and made the decision. I talked to my dad, family, and friends and they all knew Clemson was where I wanted to go.”

Spector said he told Clemson’s head coach about the decision.

“I talked to Coach Swinney when I committed. I told him, 'Coach, I'm ready and I'm all in.’ He was like, 'Really?' After I told him yes, he was just going crazy,” Spector said. “He was really hyped. He was really, really excited. He was jumping around and hugging me. It was awesome.”

Spector had offers from Clemson, Wake Forest, Duke and Georgia Southern but Auburn had been showing interest. Rivals had Spector ranked as the No. 58 prospect out of Georgia for 2017, and it was Duke that finished second to the Tigers.

“They were definitely up there,” he said of Duke. “They told me that I was their number one guy. I really liked Duke. Auburn was in there with Duke and Georgia”

As a sophomore, he was 25-of-38 passing for 447 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, he had 71 tackles and an interception. However, Venables sees Spector as an outside linebacker/safety hybrid, which translates into the Nickel/SAM in Clemson’s defense.

“I'm an outside linebacker and safety,” he said. “Coach Venables said that they lost a lot of guys this year and they're going to lose a lot of guys, so this is a great time for me to come in and commit because they're losing all of these people. At outside linebacker and safety, there's a big opportunity to play.”

What kind of player are the Tigers getting?

“They're getting a big, strong, physical, smart player. I love the game and I'm passionate about the game,” he said. “I just want to play. I just want to get out there. I just want to learn more about the game.”

Spector said the coaches have no reason to worry about him going anywhere else.

“I've been a Tiger since birth,” he said. “I've always been around it since I was little. I love Clemson.”