Top NC prospect Samari Matthews says Clemson's family feel puts them as top contender

Elite cornerback Smoke Matthews will have the Tigers not too far from his mind.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Wednesday, July 31 2024

A second visit paid dividends.

2026 4-star cornerback Samari Matthews of Cornelius (NC) Williams Amos Hough has had quite the summer.

Matthews has taken visits across the country, using the summertime to familiarize himself with his top schools. He has his list trimmed down to 11 schools, including Florida State, Tennessee, South Carolina, Notre Dame and Clemson in the group.

Matthews is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the class of 2026 and is very well on Clemson’s radar. The sought-out junior took a second visit to Clemson to close out July, able to spend time with cornerbacks coach Mike Reed for a majority of the day.

“My time at Clemson this past Monday was great,” said Matthews. “I spent most of the day with Coach Reed and spoke with Coach Dabo (Swinney) for the first time later that day.”

With Matthews more familiar with Clemson's layout, the second visit was crucial to determining his opinion of the program's feel. His relationship with Reed and Clemson’s family culture was why the Tigers landed in his top schools.

Regarding where Clemson fits into the bigger picture, Matthews sees Clemson as a top school that will be tough to move off the list anytime soon.

“I’ve had a close relationship with coach Reed for a while now, and when I went to Clemson for my second time, I really enjoyed the family feel there,” Matthews said. “Clemson is definitely a top school on my list. I see them staying there until the end.”

As Matthews’ junior season approaches, his focus will be on finding the school that best suits him. He told Tigernet he’s taking his recruitment process “day by day” with no current timeline on whether he will announce his list being cut any further.

There will be plenty of eyes on him as he approaches a commitment date, and Matthews believes he will have a decision ready by the summer of 2025.

Right now, Matthews is focused on getting ready for his junior season, and a major decision continues to loom.

As far as Clemson is concerned, one of the country’s most sought-after corners will have the Tigers not too far from his mind.