Conversation with Dabo Swinney stands out for top 2024 wide receiver

Gatling poses with wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham last June.

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Thu Mar 24 13:32:03 GMT-04:00 2022

One of the top receivers for the 2024 recruiting cycle is currently checking out all of his top schools, and a recent visit to Clemson stands out because of a conversation with head coach Dabo Swinney.

Debron Gatling is a 4-star, top-100 national prospect out of Alpharetta (GA) Milton who is ranked by Rivals as the No. 10 wide receiver and No. 90 overall prospect in the 2024 class regardless of position. His impressive offers list from two dozen schools includes Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas, Miami, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon.

Gatling spent time at head coach Dabo Swinney’s high school camp last season, marking his first visit to the Clemson campus. Gatling recently made another trek to Clemson, where he spoke with head coach Dabo Swinney and receivers coach Tyler Grisham.

“What stood out to me was probably my conversation with Coach Dabo and Coach Grisham. That was really the highlight of my visit,” Gatling said. “When he (Swinney) was talking about the school and the family, that really stood out. He said he liked my body structure and my frame. He invited me to come back anytime I wanted to. He said I could come back and sit in on a meeting. He was basically treating me like family already and I don't even have an offer yet.”

Gatling said he knows Clemson moves slower than other schools when it comes to offers.

“I really respect it because I know they're just not out here offering guys like some of these other schools are doing,” he said. “If they offer you, that means they really, really want you and they really like you.”

Gatling was also able to spend quality time with Grisham.

“Me and Coach Grisham spent quite a lot of time together. I was spending time with him when they were practicing in the indoor facility,” Gatling said. “We played a game of ping-pong together. When they were introducing the coaches, I was talking to him until it was his turn.”

Where does Clemson stand?

“I definitely think they're one of the top schools on my list right now,” Gatling said.

Gatling has also visited Georgia and Alabama and plans on heading to Ole Miss on April 2. He also has plans to check out Miami (FL) and LSU.