Elite N.C. defender commits to Clemson

Patterson is a second top-100 prospect committed for Clemson in the DE position.

Brandon Rink · Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer · Tuesday, May 26 2020

Zaire Patterson - Defensive End
TigerNet: (4.47)

Height: 6-6 Weight: 230 Hometown: Winston Salem, NC (Winston-Salem Prep HS) Class: 2021

ESPN:

#270 Overall, #31 DE, #19 NC

Rivals:

#247 Overall, #10 DE, #13 NC

24/7:

# 98 Overall, # 6 Edge, # 6 NC

Clemson reloaded its 2021 defensive line class with a commitment from 4-star DE Zaire Patterson (Winston-Salem, NC) on Tuesday.

Patterson totaled well over 100 tackles, 27 for loss, with 11 sacks, 10 passes defended, nine caused fumbles and four interceptions as a junior. He was recently bumped up to a top-100 overall ranking by 247Sports (No. 99; No. 8 WDE).

Patterson helps fill a void left by former DE commitment Korey Foreman, who decommitted in April. He joins fellow top-100-overall prospect Cade Denhoff as a DE commit for the Tigers.

Patterson picked up a Clemson offer in January and he had visited campus for the Wake Forest game last fall.

His final top schools outside of Clemson were Kentucky, Oklahoma, Georgia, South Carolina, UNC, Notre Dame and Alabama, with South Carolina being the top contender of that group.

Clemson’s 13-man class is ranked third in the 247Sports Composite rankings behind Ohio State (18 commits) and Tennessee (24).

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110 % Committed

A post shared by @ tre4_z on May 26, 2020 at 2:06pm PDT

BREAKING: 4 ?? WDE Zaire Patterson has just Committed to #Clemson !?
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He chose the #Tigers over #Kentucky , #SouthCarolina , #Oklahoma , #Georgia, #NorthCarolina , #NotreDame , and #Alabama ?
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Clemson fans, welcome him home!?
? pic.twitter.com/xWVr5RZCSS
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 26, 2020