CLEMSON RECRUITING

Big Deal: Top South Carolina recruit visits Clemson, plans to make decision soon
Deal poses with Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney

Big Deal: Top South Carolina recruit visits Clemson, plans to make decision soon


by - Senior Writer -

Luke Deal has been picking up offers left and right in recent weeks.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound tight end from Greenwood (SC) Emerald has, in the past two weeks, received offers from Ohio State, Clemson, Michigan and South Carolina. For those that might want his services, however, they need to hurry.

New recruiting rules allow for official visits starting in April and Deal plans to take his official visits in April and May so that he can make his decision no later than the end of May.

Deal has set official visits to NC State for April 7th, Michigan April 14th and Notre Dame April 18th. He is also planning to take one to Ohio State. Deal has an unofficial visit planned to Clemson March 29-30 and will take his mother with him on that visit so they can check out the campus life and academic side of things.

"I'm having a lot of conversations with them," Deal said of Clemson. "They just take a little longer on some things, which I understand. We're building a relationship. I've already been down there once and I'm about to go again on my spring break. I've been talking Coach Pearman and Coach Reed and it's pretty cool."

Pearman, who coaches Clemson’s tight ends, thinks Deal would be a perfect fit for Clemson’s offense.

“They have some guys who can detach and some guys that can go back there and play H (back)," he said. "They think I can go in there and be that attached tight end and go out there and flex and go H. They think I can do it all which is something they are looking for. They've got a couple of good players up there but they don't think they've had the overall tight end and they're looking for a balanced guy, and they think I can do that."

Deal grew up a Clemson fan and has attended games there for years. His sister is graduating from Clemson this spring. That means Clemson is definitely in the mix.

"They are definitely in the race," he said. "I'm going to check everything out. You never know. It could be someplace up north, someplace anywhere. That's something kind of different about me compared to a bunch of other people. I know Clemson is in my backyard and a bunch of these places are really close, but if it means that I find my home somewhere, I don't mind traveling, I don't mind going out there."

Deal said he doesn't have an order to his schools just yet but he knows he has to make one soon with his May deadline for a decision. Some of his other offers are Georgia, Purdue, Michigan, Florida, Rice, South Florida and Southern Cal.

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