New WR commit knew Clemson was home following Dabo Swinney speech

Connor Salmin spoke with TigerNet about the moment that led to the decision in his heart, and how Dabo Swinney’s passion for the program flipped a switch that Clemson was home.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Monday, March 10 2025

Sometimes, two hours of Dabo Swinney’s program message is all it takes.

As Connor Salmin of Potomac (MD) The Bullis School headed down for the Elite Retreat, he wasn’t sure it was time to pull the trigger on a commitment.

However, a weekend on campus with the staff would change everything.

Salmin’s commitment was the Tigers’ third commitment of the weekend at the time, stemming from an incredibly successful weekend at the Elite Retreat.

He spoke with TigerNet about the moment that led to the decision in his heart, and how Dabo Swinney’s passion for the program flipped a switch that Clemson was home.

“He (Swinney) was talking to a big group,” Salmin said. “He was talking to everyone. He said some things about the program, about how he runs things and just how they've done things there and everything like that in the past. And he said some things throughout that really, for me, it was kind of just some things that I was like, okay, this sounds like the place I want to be. And I had thought that, and I wasn't with my parents when he said they were sitting behind me. And I was thinking about that during, and I said something that I'm after Coach Swinney finished talking to my parents, my mom said she felt the same way, and I talked to both my parents about it, and they had agreed, and we kind of knew this was the place.”

Not only was Swinney’s impact tremendous during Salmin’s recruitment but Tyler Grisham’s efforts in selling the Maryland speedster were equally important.

Grisham logged plenty of miles paying visits to Salmin during the contact period, ensuring that the new Tiger commit felt like he was a priority.

Certainly, those efforts paid off.

“That was super helpful in my recruitment,” Salmin said. “I think even since last outdoor season before I had gotten on campus and before I had the offer, Coach Grisham was always reaching out. He was checking in on track during the outdoor season. We talked all the time on the phone and we stayed super connected. He texted me a lot and he texted me. He didn't overwhelm me or anything like that, but when we talked, we'd have some good long conversations. We'd talk about a lot of things, getting visits set up, and then once we got there and got on campus, and I had gotten the offer, then from there it just built on even more.”

Clemson envisions Salmin (6-1 190) to be a genuine threat on the boundary, one that can take the top off any defense against them. That track star speed will be unique to Clemson’s future offense, giving Garrett Riley a dynamic weapon to work with.

Salmin’s pledge is currently one of four from the Elite Retreat, with fellow 4-star prospect Grant Wise’s commitment dropping on Sunday morning.

The Maryland wideout is excited for what’s to come, believing this class can do something special once they arrive on campus.

Now, it’s time to put on the sales pitch.

“It's really awesome,” Salmin said. “It's a super good feeling. I think we can do something special with this class. I think that's our goal. Even now that I'm committed, it's my job to try and help convince other kids and just tell them that Clemson is the place they want to be in.”

First I want to thank God for everything He has blessed me with. #AGTG! Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Thank you to all of my coaches,… pic.twitter.com/wt0lc5WtuY
— Connor Salmin (@connorsalmin) March 9, 2025