All In Cookout: 5-star center, Cali receiver headline attendees for signature event

Clay Webb will be making his second trip of the summer to Clemson

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Jul 27 12:01:03 GMT-04:00 2018

Clemson’s summer signature recruiting event takes place Friday evening, and the coaching staff will play host to a 5-star priority target in a position of need.

Oxford (AL) center Clay Webb, the No. 1-rated center in the nation will be on hand with his mother for the All In Cookout. Alabama, Georgia and Auburn are also in contention. Webb intends to take his official visits this fall and hopes to make a decision in December, but his attendance at the Cookout can’t be understated.

He told TigerNet earlier this month that Clemson stays in contention because of its people.

“It was good. I was there for camp. I got to see more of the coaches and talk to them more. I was able to talk to some of the players, too,” Webb said. “What stood out to me was just how friendly everybody is. I know Coach (Todd) Bates because he recruits my high school, so I already knew him pretty well. We just had a pretty good conversation about what's right for me.

“I went up there to camp and I got to hang out with coach Swinney and coach (Robbie) Caldwell. I like those guys and I really like how coach Swinney interacts with his players. That stood out to me. I like Coach Caldwell, he reminds me of another coach I have.”

What stands out about the Tigers?

“Just familiarity. It feels really nice there,” he said. “It feels like home. It feels like I know most of the coaches and some of the players. I like Coach Caldwell a lot. He reminds me a lot of some of the coaches I have.”

Another uncommitted offensive lineman on hand will be Hanahan (SC) Cooper Dawson. Dawson picked up a Clemson offer at Swinney’s camp in June, where he also suffered a knee injury. Dawson wants to play defensive end but the Tigers want him on the offensive side of the ball.

One visitor will be making a long trek - defensive lineman Etinosa Reuben (6-3 275) of Riverside (MO). He will be making his first visit to Clemson and and the final visit before he makes his decision next week. Ohio State and Wisconsin are the other two under consideration.

Clemson's was not on Reuben's recruiting radar, and he didn't know he was on the Tigers', until a recruiter came thru the school during an evaluation period and offered him.

"It was one of those schools I would always see on TV or in a video game and be like, that looks like a good place to go," Reuben said. "I never thought of them ever having interest in me till then. I was surprised and really happy about it."

Reuben said he's not ready to disclose a favorite at this point, but he knows the primary factors he will consider in making the decision.

"Culture, how getting a degree from the school I pick will affect me in about thirty years, my family and just how I'm going to me used," Reuben said adding he plans to major in psychology.

His parents will join him on the visit which will begin on Friday and conclude Saturday. Last season Reuben totaled 55 tackles and 5 sacks.

Making an even longer trek is Folsom (CA) 4-star receiver Joseph Ngata.

Ngata made the trip to campus back in March, visiting with his father. He picked up a Clemson offer in mid-January and comes from a football playing family. His brother, Ariel, was a freshman linebacker at Washington last season, while several schools have started offering his younger brother, 2020 running back Daniyel.

Ngata owns offers from USC, UCLA, Washington, Alabama, Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State and California among numerous others. In my opinion, he is one of the ones to watch this weekend.

Finally, we get to Andrew Booth, the 4-star defensive back out of Lawrenceville (GA) Archer. Clemson and Auburn are the schools in play for Booth, who doesn’t do a lot of interviews and keeps his feelings mostly to himself.

Most of the commitments will be on hand, although linebacker Keith Maguire isn’t expected to attend. Stay tuned to the board as we get updates the rest of the day.