Top OL target Casey Poe set to visit campus in early June

Casey Poe added a Clemson offer on his March visit and he will return soon.

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Thu Apr 27 07:00:14 GMT-04:00 2023

One of Clemson’s top offensive line targets plans to be on campus in early June.

Clemson has one recruiting weekend this summer and it’s set for June 2nd. The Tigers are attempting to have as many of their favorite targets on campus to close as many deals as they can in a 48-hour period. One who will be there is OT Casey Poe (6-5 280) of Lindale, TX.

Poe recently named his top eight as Clemson, Baylor, Oklahoma, Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Alabama and Texas Tech.

“I felt like all those places are where I can develop as a person, develop as a player and develop spiritually,” Poe said. “I built great relationships with all those coaches. All those coaches spent their time talking so we could get to know each other and make great relationships. I really like the players that are coming into each of those schools, and I felt like their culture was great.”

Clemson was one of 11 unofficial visits Poe has made since January. He was in for a junior day and spring practice March 11th. He met up with Dabo Swinney and offensive line coach Thomas Austin, and left feeling strongly enough about the program to put the Tigers on his short list and schedule his first official visit there for June 2nd.

“Always hear about Clemson and the great culture they have, but you really don’t get to see it until you get to see it firsthand,” Poe said. “I got to be there and talk to Coach Swinney and Coach Austin. They just have something really special there. They really push hard about how spiritually you can grow. They put the most into the players as far as outside of football. They have the P.A.W. program which gives kids micro-internships, it gives them opportunity for the future. They have wiffleball fields right outside the stadium where they can stay happy. That really stood out to me.”

Poe added that he and Austin really hit it off well and he would feel very comfortable playing for him should he choose the Tigers.

“Whenever I was down there on the visit, me and Coach Austin were around each other the entire day,” Poe said. “I don’t think he ever left my side besides obviously the practice he had to go coach in. He’s a great offensive line coach. Definitely can see him developing players in a really big way. He’s a lot like my offensive line coach. The way he talks, the way his mannerisms are, the way he interacts with his players are a lot like how my offensive line coach right now works. That would be comforting knowing I’m going from one of the best high school offensive line coaches to maybe one of the best offensive line coaches in college football.”

Following the official visit to Clemson to open June, Poe will take official visits on subsequent weekends to Texas Tech, Auburn and Alabama. He said he’ll probably take a fifth official visit, and possibly a sixth, but he’s not sure with whom at this point. He does not have a favorite and his plan is to commit after he completes his official visits and prior to his senior season.