Peach State tight end says Clemson offer is "a blessing"

Delp has size and speed.

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Thu Jan 07 14:01:03 GMT-04:00 2021

Clemson’s success of crossing the state line into The Peach State has reaped rewards, with the likes of Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence joining the Tigers from Georgia. Clemson’s most recent offer brings a return trip to Georgia, with an offer extended to one of the top offensive weapons in the 2022 class.

Cumming (GA) West Forsyth four-star tight end Oscar Delp was on the receiving end of that Clemson offer, reporting it on December 23rd. Delp is currently ranked as the No. 235 player overall and the No. 10 tight end in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and a dominant junior season has Delp set to climb drastically in those rankings. Delp is listed at 6-5, 220-pounds, displaying a combination of size and speed that proves to be a matchup nightmare. Delp’s Clemson connections run deep, and the Tigers are positioning themselves to be a major factor in Delp’s recruitment.

Delp’s recruitment has been primarily handled by tight ends coach Danny Pearman, with quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter also being involved. Delp’s Clemson offer was one that had been building for a while, with Delp checking all the boxes in what the coaches are looking for.

“It was great. (Pearman) told me they had been taking recruiting very slowly this year and that I checked all the boxes for them and they wanted me,” Delp told TigerNet of the offer. “He then extended the offer to me. It’s a true blessing. It shows my hard work is paying off and makes me want to work harder and lets me know I can always get better.”

Delp’s ties to Clemson go back to his uncle, James Chappell, a former Clemson football player who was roommates with Streeter during that time. Delp’s relationship with Streeter has always remained strong, and the relationship with Pearman continues to grow.

“Every time I talk to coach Pearman, we have great conversations,” Delp said. “I have known coach Streeter for a while, so it’s always great when we talk. Coach Pearman and I have been developing a strong relationship as well.”

Delp’s offer list has grown to over 20 schools, with schools like Clemson, Georgia, and Michigan all in the race to land Delp. Aside from Clemson, which schools are standing out to Delp at the moment?

“A couple of schools are standing out, but I have not cut down my list yet,” he said. “Me and coach (Todd) Hartley from UGA have built a strong relationship. I have also built strong relationships with the Michigan, UNC, USC, and Stanford coaches, along with many others.”

While the recruiting dead period continues, ’22 recruits have continued to be unable to take any unofficial or official visits to schools. Once on-campus recruitment resumes, Delp plans on checking out multiple schools.

“Right now, I’m just waiting for the dead period to end before I make any decisions,” he said. “I want to get out and visit as many schools as possible and cut my list down from there. I for sure want to visit Georgia, Clemson, Michigan, UNC, USC, and Stanford.”

As Delp’s recruitment continues, what factors will he be looking for in the school of his choice?

“It’s going to come down to relationships, academics, and the way they use the tight end position,” he said. “Just the overall feel of the school for me.”

Delp’s monster junior season concluded with him being named the Region 6-7A Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-State selection in Georgia by MaxPreps. Delp finished the year with over 700 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in nine games.