Defensive end target closing in on a decision

Ojiegbe was back in Clemson last weekend.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Apr 13 08:20:05 GMT-04:00 2022

One of Clemson’s top defensive end targets for the 2023 recruiting cycle was back on campus for the Orange and White Game last weekend, and he likes the trust the Tiger coaches are already showing.

David Ojiegbe (6-3, 235) is a 4-star defensive end out of Washington (DC) St. John’s who has offers from Clemson, Miami, Maryland, Michigan, NC State, UNC, Penn St., Tennessee, and Virginia Tech among others. He is ranked as high as the No. 18 edge defender and No. 162 overall prospect in the 2023 class by 247Sports.

He visited Clemson for an Elite Junior Day earlier this year, and made sure to make it back for the spring game, where he spent time with defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall and head coach Dabo Swinney.

“It went pretty good. I loved talking to Coach Dabo Swinney and Coach Lemanski Hall and it allowed me to feel them out a little bit more,” Ojiegbe told TigerNet. “They were telling me how I would fit into their scheme and be used, and then they told me about the coaches they have and how everybody is All In. With Clemson, it’s all about the culture, really.”

Where do the Tigers see Ojiegbe?

“They see me as a defensive end who can also play the Jack (a hybrid of defensive end and linebacker),” he said. “They see me as a guy who can rush the passer and also stop the run and then sometimes drop back in coverage. That’s big to me, just being available and see how they can use me in different matchups. That shows they trust me a lot, so I have to take that into consideration.”

During his conversation with Swinney, Ojiegbe learned how much he was wanted.

“He told me how I would be used and how bad they want me there,” Ojiegbe said. “He was telling all about the culture and what they could do for me, and of course, what I could help them do.”

Ojiegbe said he is closing in on a decision and wants to have one in place before his high school season, and Clemson is right there at the top with UNC, Michigan, Tennessee, and Miami.

So what sets Clemson apart?

“The culture and the people there and how it is a family-oriented team,” he said. “I love the scheme they have and the culture there. It’s all about the family.”