CLEMSON RECRUITING

The smiles - and the recruits - are back on campus as Swinney camps begin
Deuce Caldwell visits Tuesday looking for a Clemson offer.

The smiles - and the recruits - are back on campus as Swinney camps begin


by - Senior Writer -

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, defensive coordinator Brent Venables, offensive coordinator Tony Elliott, and the rest of the Tigers’ coaching staff are walking around the football facility today smiling from ear to ear. The recruits are coming back to campus.

The NCAA dead period imposed in March of 2020 ends at midnight tonight, and college prospects are allowed back on campuses Tuesday. Swinney’s high school camp starts Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean that Tuesday will be another day of waiting as several high-profile prospects are set to be on campus.

The entire week will be busy as the prospects roll into town, and we’ve been saving a lot of our information for this special week. A little later today, we will dive into former Clemson player Pat Godfrey’s impending trip here this week. Godfrey currently lives in New York City and is bringing seven players from the streets of Brooklyn and the Bronx that he thinks have a chance to earn offers at some point. Like I said, more on that later.

We will start with Tuesday. While it isn’t a camp day, prospects are allowed to work out. One that we will be keeping an eye on is talented 2022 3-star athlete Jaren Kanak out of Hays (KS) who is starting to draw interest from all over the country. Kanak can play anywhere from linebacker to safety or play a hybrid of both, and his offer list continues to grow. He has offers from both in-state Power 5 programs, along with schools like Nebraska, Iowa, and Penn State.

Kanak drew Venables’ attention a few weeks ago with a blistering time at a conference track meet.

“That would have been in Liberal, Kansas at our conference meet, and I ran a 10.37 laser-timed 100 meter,” Kanak said. “I’ve always been pretty naturally quick and fast, and I was always a fast kid growing up. I always loved and enjoyed sports and grow passionate for it. So I do all kinds of things just to improve on that speed that was already God-given. I do all kinds of speed drills, speed workouts. I go hard in the weight room, that type of thing. And it's all just paying off, I guess. All that work I put in, it's showing on the track.”

However, Venables told Kanak that in order to earn a Clemson offer, Kanak would have to show he’s serious about playing so far away from home and make the trip to campus. Thus, Tuesday’s visit.

“We've actually already bought plane tickets and booked it. June 1st is unofficial (visit to) Clemson,” Kanak said. “It’s just a great opportunity to get on a campus like that and be around some of those guys that have had that much success, not only what they do on the field but (also) off the field. I'm really looking forward to getting around to that stuff and taking it all in. And then at the same time, getting up there and moving around and working out in front of these guys that have developed amazing NFL talent in the past, and showcasing what I can do for them.”

A local player will also be on hand. Randy (Deuce) Caldwell (6-1 210) out of Mauldin (SC) is a 3-star 2022 safety prospect whose offer list continues to grow, and he thinks a Clemson offer will happen soon.

“I feel like an offer is coming,” Caldwell said. “They have been telling me I fit like an Isaiah Simmons type of player, a Sam, Will, Nickel type of player who can play in the box, have at least 10 tackles a game, but can drop back in coverage and have at least 5 PBUs and an interception a game. I’m just trying to fit that role of Isaiah Simmons. I really look up to him because I feel like we play alike. He was a big, athletic kid who played on both sides of the ball, and I play on both sides of the ball now. I just really look up to him with everything he does.”

Caldwell has offers from Minnesota, Baylor, North Carolina, West Virginia, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, UCF, East Carolina, Ole Miss, USF, Coastal Carolina and others. A Clemson offer, however, would shake up things in his recruiting.

Caldwell said besides his conversations with the Clemson coaches, he’s also talking with two former Tigers who yield a lot of respect for their careers there.

“I’ve been keeping a close relationship with coach Venables, coach Conn and been in on a lot of phone calls with the different coaches on the defensive side of the ball. I’ve been staying in close contact with them,” Caldwell said. “I told them how I now a lot of people that played at Clemson. Tajh Boyd, I have a real close relationship with him. K’Von Wallace, I have a real close relationship with him. I’ve been talking to them a lot and talking to the coaching staff a lot and building a great relationship with the coaching staff.”

Caldwell has a good relationship with former Clemson players Tajh Boyd and K’Von Wallace. He will be back on campus Thursday to work out for the coaches. Caldwell is also set to visit UNC on June 15th.

Perhaps the most high-profile visitor Tuesday is 5-star defensive end Jeremiah Alexander out of Alabaster (AL) Thompson. Alexander is a former Alabama commit who is also looking hard at Georgia. This helps set the stage for an official visit in the fall.

Alexander is scheduled to visit Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Clemson for games in the fall, and the guess here is that Clemson would love to get him on campus later in the year.

AJ Terrell’s little brother, 2023 cornerback Avieon Terrell out of Atlanta (GA) Westlake, will also visit Tuesday. Terrell was on hand for the spring game back in April. Terrell has a Clemson offer.

Justice Haynes is a 4-star 2023 running back out of Roswell (GA) Trinity Catholic. His dad played for Georgia (Verron Haynes) and in the NFL, and many think the son is headed for Georgia as well, but this is a chance for the Clemson coaches (especially CJ Spiller) to put their best foot forward in person. Haynes doesn’t boast a Clemson offer. Yet.

Another prospect on hand this week is familiar with the Clemson program. Mudia Reuben is a 2022 wide receiver out of Riverside (MO) Park Hill South who is the younger brother of Clemson defensive tackle Etinosa Reuben. He will be on campus all week, starting Tuesday. He told me last week that he is looking at this as a chance to get to know wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham and impress the Clemson coaches enough to earn an offer.

He has offers from places like Vanderbilt, Kansas, and Kansas State, and Reuben says the Wildcats are recruiting him the hardest.

More to come.

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