Sammy Brown, Bryant Wesco ranked in 'must-watch' true freshmen in 2024

Sammy Brown showed his playmaking skills in the spring game and spring practice.

Brandon Rink - Assoc. Editor / Staff Writer - Monday, June 24 2024

247Sports ranked the Top 24 must-watch true freshmen for the 2024 season, which included Tigers on both sides of the ball.

Both were on campus and in workouts this winter and spring, led by No. 11 on the list, wide receiver Bryant Wesco.

"In need of big-play threats on the outside, the Tigers secured multiple pass-catchers in their 2024 class of the elite variety, including Bryant Wesco," 247Sports' Brad Crawford said. "He scored the first touchdown of the spring game last month and is already a crisp route runner. The only knock on Wesco throughout spring practice was his frame and being a bit undersized, but adding weight and muscle is the mindset this summer ahead of fall camp. He's expected to anchor a starring role in the passing game."

Five-star linebacker Sammy Brown rounded out the ranking at No. 24.

"When multi-year starter Barrett Carter says you're special, focus shifts to the freshman, who turned heads this spring with his knowledge of the game at the Mike position on Clemson's defense," Crawford said.

For those interested in hopping on the Sammy Brown hype train, here’s the true freshman LB and former 5-star recruit running past Clemson’s starting left tackle for a “sack” on his very first defensive snap of the spring game earlier today (via ACCNX broadcast) pic.twitter.com/9q0vPMqcoS
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) April 6, 2024

The true freshmen ranked from Clemson's schedule are at No. 5, Georgia safety KJ Bolden; No. 10, South Carolina OT Josiah Thompson; No. 13, South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart; No. 14, NC State WR Jonathan Paylor; No. 22, Georgia CB Ellis Robinson IV; and No. 23, Florida State TE Landen Thomas.

Wesco Clemson bio

Consensus top 35 player nationally according to all major recruiting services … five-star prospect according to PrepStar, which ranked him as the nation’s 15th-best player overall and as the third-best player in Texas and fifth-best receiver in the nation … 247Sports ranked the five-star receiver as the No. 22 overall player nationally and as the sixth-best receiver and fifth-best player in Texas … ESPN ranked him as its No. 25 overall player, as its seventh-best receiver and as its seventh-best player in Texas … On3 listed him as the No. 29 player in the nation, the eighth-best receiver and sixth-best player in Texas … Rivals rated him No. 31 overall and as the service’s seventh-best receiver and fourth-best player in Texas … selected to the Under Armour All-America Game and the Polynesian Bowl … recorded 109 career receptions for 1,903 yards, a 17.5-yard average per catch … scored 29 career touchdowns … collected 36 catches for 619 yards and 13 touchdowns in just seven games as a senior … posted 56 catches for 1,072 yards — a 19.1-yard average — and 12 touchdowns as a junior, including a 93-yard touchdown … had seven 100-yard games as a junior including a streak of five straight games … recorded four touchdown receptions vs. Cleburne … played for Doug Wendel at Midlothian … also competed in track, finishing fifth in the triple jump at the Texas 5A state meet in spring of 2023.

Personal: Born Sept. 22, 2005 … committed to Clemson June 6, 2023 … played his high school career fewer than 30 miles away from fellow Clemson class of 2024 signee Corian Gipson … enrolled at Clemson in January 2024 … pre-business major.

Brown bio

Coveted prospect who was a consensus top 30 player nationally according to 247Sports, ESPN, On3, Rivals and PrepStar … named the nation’s top all-around athlete by MaxPreps for his success in football, wrestling and track, joining a list of previous award-winners that includes Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray and Derrick Henry … named as the No. 1 “Freak Athlete” in the nation by 247Sports … received the 2023 High School Butkus Award, presented each year to the top high school linebacker in the nation … selected to play in the All-American Bowl on NBC and was named as one of six finalists for the organization’s Player of the Year award … won the All-American Bowl’s Defensive Player of the Year award … consensus five-star prospect … listed by ESPN as the nation’s top linebacker, the third-best player in Georgia and the No. 12 overall prospect in America … also listed as 247Sports’ No. 12 overall player as well as its second-best linebacker and second-best player in Georgia … ranked No. 18 overall by On3 as well as the second-best linebacker and second-best player in Georgia … listed by Rivals as the nation’s No. 28 overall player as well as its third-best linebacker and sixth-best player in Georgia … ranked 12th in the nation by PrepStar, which listed him as the top linebacker in the nation and second-best player in Georgia … named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 Team … all-state selection each of his last three seasons … named as Georgia 5A Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 … won Mr. Football in Georgia for 2023 from Georgia Public Television … despite being slated to play linebacker at Clemson, had outstanding numbers as a running back, rushing for 2,289 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2023 … averaged an incredible 9.0 yards per rush and 163.5 yards per game while posting 11 games with 100-plus rushing yards in 2023 … scored 40 touchdowns overall … his 2,289 rushing yards were fourth-most in the state and were the 46th-most in a single season in Georgia high school history … his 36 rushing touchdowns that season also ranked 29th all-time in Georgia, giving him 82 career rushing touchdowns (21st all-time in state annals) … amassed 153 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three blocked kicks and two interceptions defensively … as a punter, averaged 44.5 yards on 36 punts with 15 downed inside the 20 … rushed 181 times for 1,449 yards with 21 touchdowns as a junior … averaged 13 yards per carry as a sophomore with 753 yards on 58 carries … finished his prep career with 494 carries for 4,491 yards and 68 rushing touchdowns … recorded 100-yard rushing games in 23 of his 32 career games … also added 24 receptions for 460 yards and seven touchdowns, giving him 5,022 yards from scrimmage for his career (157 yards per game) … led his team to a 13-1 season, a Region Championship and the 5A state semifinals as one of the top two-way players in the nation … named as a first-team All-American by MaxPreps … played for Travis Noland at Jefferson … outstanding wrestler who compiled a 88-5 record and won back-to-back state championships … was 34-2 as a wrestler as a junior … clocked at 10.7 in the 100 meters and has long jumped 23’3” … was a 4.0 student.

Personal: Born Sept. 29, 2005 … was a member of Jefferson High School’s Miracle Club, which raises money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta … completed a microinternship with Segars Realty in Montana in spring 2024 … committed to Clemson June 5, 2023 … enrolled at Clemson in January 2024 … biological sciences major.