CLEMSON RECRUITING

Dudley joins an Alabama-heavy close to the 2022 class.
Dudley joins an Alabama-heavy close to the 2022 class.

4-star defender TJ Dudley commits to Clemson


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TJ Dudley Photo
TJ Dudley - Linebacker
TigerNet: (4.70)

Height: 6-1   Weight: 220   Hometown: Montgomery, AL (Montgomery Catholic Preparatory HS)   Class: 2022
ESPN:
#10 LB, #14 AL
Rivals:
#146 Overall, #11 LB, #6 AL
24/7:
#227 Overall, #22 LB, #12 AL

One of the top uncommitted 2022 defensive prospects going into National Signing Day is now a Clemson Tiger.

Four-star Montgomery, Alabama linebacker TJ Dudley announced a commitment to Clemson on Wednesday. He was rated among the top-10 unsigned/uncommitted prospects by Rivals and the No. 11 outside linebacker overall.

Dudley was in Clemson over the weekend for his official visit.

Dudley committed to Oregon last summer and decommitted after the Ducks' previous head coach Mario Cristobal left for Miami.

He earned an Alabama player of the year honor with 138 tackles, 29 for loss, with six interceptions as a senior.

Dudley joins his former Montgomery Catholic teammate and safety Kylon Griffin with a post-early signing period commitment to Clemson.

He wraps up Clemson's 2022 class, which has 20 incoming freshmen plus graduate transfer Hunter Johnson and ranks 11th in the 247Sports Team Composite rankings.

Dudley received an offer when the first 2022 Clemson offers went out on June 1, 2020.

Signee analysis: TJ Dudley - 4-star LB - Montgomery, Alabama

Committed since: 2/2/22.

Listed size: 6-1 220

Quotable: “TJ Dudley is big enough to play linebacker, but skilled enough to play safety. He does both in high school. At the college level, he could be a perfect fit for the new hybrid position that allows a player to both rush the passer and drop into coverage." - Randy Kennedy for AL.com.

Depth chart fit: Dudley is a late prize for the 2022 class and one who can get to work in a linebacker position group that got significantly younger from 2021 to 2022. With some potential pro prospects for Trenton Simpson, Clemson will be looking to an outside linebacker to develop quickly for big snaps in 2023.

Clemson bio

Three-time all-state selection … three-time All-Metro and All-Capital City Conference (CCC) honoree … 2021 CCC Defensive Player of the Year … 2021 Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 3A Lineman of the Year and earned “Super All-State” honors presented to the top 12 players in the state regardless of position or classification. … credited with 381 tackles (59 for loss), 10.5 sacks, seven interceptions, seven pass breakups and seven touchdowns in his prep career … selected to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic … coached by Kirk Johnson at Montgomery Catholic Preparatory … along with fellow Clemson 2022 signee Kylon Griffin, led a defense that gave up just 43 points in 14 games and reached the state semifinals in 2021 … consensus four-star prospect … rated by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 147 overall player, as the country’s 10th-best linebacker and as the seventh-ranked prospect in the state of Alabama … PrepStar placed him as No. 168 among its national Top 300 … ESPN.com ranked him as the nation’s 10th-best linebacker and the 14th-best overall player in the state of Alabama … rated by 247Sports as the 13th-best player in Alabama … also played basketball at Montgomery Catholic, helping his team to a state title game appearance in 2021 … plays the piano … committed to Clemson on National Signing Day, Feb. 2, 2022 … plans to enroll in the summer of 2022 … born Dec. 22, 2003.

Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin on Dudley: "He plays fast. He plays violent. He plays tough. Very intelligent and very instinctual. Can run and cover. Can blitz. Can play in the box. Plays on the edge. He can do a lot of things and brings a lot of value to our roster. He's an unbelievable young man. Comes from a great family and a great program and we're excited to have TJ join our linebacker group."

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