Clemson sees instant impact with 4-star defender

Covil says Clemson checks the right boxes for him.

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Sat Mar 27 08:01:04 GMT-04:00 2021

The Clemson staff went into familiar territory on Thursday, sending out an offer to Chesapeake (VA) Oscar Smith HS 4-star safety Sherrod Covil.

Covil is currently ranked as the No. 189 player overall in the 247Sports rankings and the No. 6 player in the state of Virginia for the 2022 class. The 6-0, 185-pound safety has collected nearly 40 offers during his recruitment from the likes of Alabama, Michigan, and Notre Dame. Covil called Clemson a “dream offer,” and Clemson hopes to bring another highly-ranked Virginia native in to join their secondary.

Covil’s Clemson recruitment began with talks from defensive coordinator Brent Venables, with an offer being extended on Thursday by safeties coach Mickey Conn.

“I was in communication with coach Venables last May I believe, but it fell off. We had been texting recently and he said the defensive staff was going to look at my film today,” Covil told TigerNet. “I got on FaceTime with the staff and coach Conn offered me. I had only spoken with coach Venables until today. The message was that I could help their defense now and I don’t have to wait 2-3 years and not just play special teams.”

Covil has been a fan of Clemson for a while, and Venables made a strong impression with Covil early on.

“I took a trip to Clemson when I was in the eighth grade and fell in love with the campus and football facilities,” he said. “Coach Venables was the coach that showed us around. From there, I’ve always looked at coach Venables as one of my favorite coaches. Even though I love Clemson, I have to make sure they love me and it’s the right place for me. I’m an ACC kid. My dad roots for the ACC no matter what and I followed the same path. Clemson is always in it at the end of the year, so that’s how they became my favorite team.”

Covil included Clemson in a top schools list Friday, with plans on cutting the list to five schools during the summer and committing before next football season. What will Covil be looking for in his top schools?

“Winning, early playing time, academics, the training staff, the DB room, and a path to the draft,” he said. “Clemson has always checked those boxes. The numbers on who’s already there and if it’s best for me is something I have to look into.”

Covil said that he currently has great relationships with numerous schools and coaches and hopes to visit as many of those schools as possible. What are those coaches telling Covil that they like about him as a player?

“They know my work ethic and that I’m going to always give 100 percent,” he said. “On the field, I can play anywhere on the back end and I’m a big hitter. Everyone is seeing what I can do in coverage now.”

Covil has been selected as a 2022 Under Armour All-American, and was named the “Alpha Dog” by 247Sports and MVP of The Show, a national scouting event. Currently in the middle of football season, Covil has already shown impressive ball skills with numerous interceptions returned for touchdowns. Covil also does a tremendous job in coming down to provide support in the run game, making highlight hits regularly.