Four-star wide receiver chose Clemson because of 'everything'

Newest commit Ronan Hanafin: "I believe in what Clemson does and how they do it."

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Aug 18 07:00:04 GMT-04:00 2022

It wasn’t one thing that led 4-star wide receiver Ronan Hanafin to choose Clemson over Notre Dame and other schools. It was everything.

The 6-3, 210-pound class of 2023 standout is out of Cambridge (MA) Buckingham Browne & Nichols School committed to Clemson last Saturday, choosing the Tigers over nearby Boston College, as well as Alabama and Notre Dame to name a few.

Hanafin took an official visit to Clemson the first weekend in June as part of the Tigers’ big recruiting weekend and came away with thinking that he might have a new leader. However, he wanted to make sure, and spent time thinking long and hard about his decision.

“I prayed a lot about this decision and had great guidance from my family and my high school coach, Coach (Mike) Willey,” Hanafin told TigerNet. “I took my time to be very intentional about my decision.”

Hanafin is tabbed by the Top247 as the nation’s No. 13 athlete and No. 144 prospect overall.

Notre Dame made a strong push for Hanafin’s services, and many wondered if the Irish were in the lead as the summer progressed. However, Clemson began to stand out even more, and it wasn’t just one thing that made the difference.

“It wasn’t just one thing that stood out or lead me to commit to Clemson, it was everything,” Hanafin said. “I believe in what Clemson does and how they do it. I know that when I leave there, I will be bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and most importantly, a better man.”

His relationship with wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham played a role as well. Grisham played for head coach Dabo Swinney, made it to the NFL, and is now back at Clemson to coach the position he played as a Tiger.

“Coach Grisham is one of the most high energy, positive people on the planet,” Hanafin said. “I feel like he’s already a great mentor for me.”

Hanafin is commit No. 20 for the Tigers in the 2023 recruiting cycle, adding to a class that ranks No. 8 nationally per the 247Sports Composite. It’s a class that Hanafin believes can and will accomplish big things.

“We have a really strong class that’s ready to join in and get after that championship together,” he said.

Other offers for Hanafin included Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, USC and Wisconsin.