Versatile Tennessee lineman has Tigers near the Top

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue May 31 10:38:28 GMT-04:00 2011

The Clemson coaching staff offered one of the more versatile offensive linemen in the area last week, and with the offer jumped near the top of Graham Shuler Graham Shuler

Offensive Line

6-5, 265

Brentwood, TN

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Shuler is a 6-5, 262-pounder out of Brentwood (TN) Brentwood Academy who has verbal offers from Clemson, Boston College, Duke, Cincinnati, Louisville, Mississippi State, Purdue, Stanford, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. Virginia Tech, UNC, Notre Dame and South Carolina are also beginning to show interest in Shuler, who picked up the Clemson offer last Monday.

“Coach [Dan] Brooks had been in to see me the week before, just to eyeball me or whatever,” Shuler told TigerNet this week. “I saw him walking through the halls, and I know that Coach [Robbie] Caldwell had been here a couple of weeks before, and we had been sending emails back and forth. I called Coach Caldwell, and we were talking about everything to do with Clemson.

“I had met him when he was with Vanderbilt, and we developed a great relationship. We just kept talking, and he let me know they wanted to offer me. He loves my versatility and how I play the game. So he said they wanted to extend the offer, and he also said they wanted to get me on campus for a visit. I hope to get up there soon.”

Shuler is listed as a tackle, but he said he can play anywhere on the line.

“I am in an interesting position,” he said. “I play left tackle in high school, but I am also the emergency center. I have also played guard. I can play guard, I can play center and I can play tackle. Coach Caldwell said he loves my versatility, and he knows that if he has to move me, he can. He said he can cross-train me as a utility guy.”

Shuler’s father played at Auburn under Pat Dye, choosing Auburn over Clemson at the last minute. However, Shuler said he has heard only good things about Clemson his entire life.

“A couple of my dad’s buddies are huge Clemson fans, and they have been coming up to me and telling me all about Clemson,” he said. “I was actually on an unofficial visit to Auburn this past fall when they played Clemson, so I got to see them at that game. And C.J. Spiller highlights have always been on ESPN the past couple of years. And my dad has told me nothing but incredible things about Clemson.”

Shuler said he hopes to make a decision before the start of football season.

“A couple of months ago, I wanted to make a decision by mid-June,” he said. “Now that has been pushed back, because I am having a harder time weighing my options. I have tried to narrow it down to a top ten, and then a top eight, and I hope I can narrow it down to a top five by the end of June and make a decision at some point in July.”

And do the Tigers have a chance of cracking his top five?

“They are already in there,” he said. “In fact, they are in my top couple of schools. I am really excited about Clemson, and I can't wait to get up there for a visit.”