Check back all day on Wednesday to see the latest on Clemson's 2019 recruiting class.
Last Updated: 9:30 AM
1. |
Sheridan Jones |
CB |
6-1, 175 |
#13 CB |
#11 CB |
#34 CB |
4.51 |
Norfolk, VA |
Enrolled |
2. |
Ray Thornton |
S |
6-2, 198 |
#41 S |
#51 DB |
#73 S |
3.36 |
Phenix City, AL |
Enrolled |
3. |
Aidan Swanson |
P |
6-3, 165 |
#17 K |
#4 K |
#8 P |
3.03 |
Bradenton, FL |
Enrolled |
4. |
Kaleb Boateng |
OL |
6-4, 293 |
#63 OL |
#68 OL |
#79 OT |
3.52 |
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Enrolled |
5. |
Frank Ladson |
WR |
6-4, 186 |
#5 WR |
#8 WR |
#9 WR |
4.71 |
Miami, FL |
Enrolled |
6. |
Lannden Zanders |
S |
6-1, 189 |
#40 S |
NR |
#48 S |
3.05 |
Shelby, NC |
Enrolled |
7. |
Taisun Phommachanh |
QB |
6-3, 194 |
#9 QB-PP |
#4 QB |
#19 DUAL |
4.66 |
Bridgeport, CT |
Enrolled |
8. |
Jaelyn Lay |
TE |
6-6, 245 |
#4 TE-H |
#3 TE |
#26 TE |
4.36 |
Riverdale, GA |
Enrolled |
9. |
Logan Cash |
DL |
6-3, 252 |
#59 DE |
#38 DE |
#17 SDE |
3.57 |
Winder, GA |
Enrolled |
10. |
Joseph Charleston |
S |
6-2, 190 |
#14 S |
#15 DB |
#10 S |
4.31 |
Alpharetta, GA |
Enrolled |
11. |
Hunter Rayburn |
OL |
6-4, 320 |
#17 OL |
#57 OL |
#35 OG |
3.66 |
Pensacola, FL |
Enrolled |
12. |
Brannon Spector |
WR |
6-1, 185 |
#62 WR |
#69 WR |
#61 WR |
3.02 |
Calhoun, GA |
Enrolled |
13. |
Etinosa Reuben |
DL |
6-3, 275 |
#36 DT |
#37 DE |
#31 SDE |
3.40 |
Riverside, MO |
Enrolled |
14. |
Tyler Davis |
DT |
6-1, 293 |
#7 DT |
#12 DT |
#17 DT |
4.73 |
Apopka, FL |
Enrolled |
15. |
Ruke Orhorhoro |
DL |
6-4, 271 |
#92 DE |
#57 DE |
#46 WDE |
3.40 |
River Rouge, MI |
Enrolled |
16. |
Joe Ngata |
WR |
6-3, 210 |
#23 WR |
#5 WR |
#6 WR |
4.54 |
Folsom, CA |
Enrolled |
17. |
William Putnam |
OG |
6-4, 280 |
#4 OL |
#7 OL |
#4 OG |
4.78 |
Tampa, FL |
Enrolled |
18. |
Davis Allen |
TE |
6-5, 220 |
#15 TE-Y |
#30 TE |
#41 TE |
3.24 |
Calhoun, GA |
Signed |
19. |
Keith Maguire |
LB |
6-1, 210 |
#101 LB |
#13 LB |
#36 OLB |
3.45 |
Malvern, PA |
Signed |
20. |
Andrew Booth |
CB |
6-1, 188 |
#3 CB |
#2 CB |
#5 CB |
4.76 |
Lawrenceville, GA |
Signed |
21. |
Greg Williams |
LB |
6-3, 235 |
#58 LB |
#26 LB |
#24 ILB |
3.33 |
Swansea, SC |
Signed |
22. |
Tayquon Johnson |
DT |
6-2, 295 |
#22 DT |
#31 DT |
#34 DT |
3.30 |
Williamsport, MD |
Signed |
23. |
Jalyn Phillips |
S |
6-0, 198 |
#30 S |
#28 DB |
#33 S |
3.73 |
Lawrenceville, GA |
Signed |
24. |
Kane Patterson |
LB |
6-1, 225 |
#6 LB |
#34 LB |
#13 ILB |
4.68 |
Nashville, TN |
Signed |
25. |
Vonta Bentley |
LB |
6-0, 220 |
#8 LB |
#11 LB |
#27 ILB |
4.42 |
Birmingham, AL |
Signed |
26. |
Bryton Constantin |
LB |
6-2, 207 |
#5 LB |
#14 LB |
#15 OLB |
4.57 |
Baton Rouge, LA |
Signed |
27. |
Chez Mellusi |
RB |
6-1, 205 |
#7 RB |
#25 RB |
#23 RB |
4.46 |
Naples, FL |
Signed |
28. |
Mason Trotter * |
OG |
6-3, 270 |
NR |
NR |
#192 OG |
2.00 |
Roebuck, SC |
8:50AM |
29. |
Michel Dukes |
RB |
5-10, 190 |
#58 RB |
NR |
#44 RB |
3.36 |
Charleston, SC |
9:30AM |
* - Grayshirt
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Ranked among the top 100 players in the nation by ESPN.com and Rivals…ESPN.com ranks Jones as 69th best overall player, second best player in the state of Virginia, and seventh best cornerback in the nation…. ranked 91st overall by Rivals, fourth best from the state of Virginia and ninth best cornerback in the nation….247 Sports sees him as eighth best player in Virginia….ranked as four-star prospect by all three services….two-way player, who had 45 tackles, two interceptions, one he returned for a score, in 2018…as a receiver, had 17 receptions for 347 yards and two scores…will play in World Bowl in Mexico on December 22, then will play in Under Armor All-American game in early January.…played his high school football at Maury High School under Dyrri McCain….Clemson recruiters were
Mike Reed and
Brent Venables…committed to Clemson on April 20, 2018… plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019.
Plyler says: Jones is a physical corner. Some think he could play safety at some point, but college football has turned into a game where physical corners are needed. I like how he competes. I have watched his game film and his summer individual work and he plays really hard and physical with wideouts. It’s easy to see how Rivals.com has him in the top 100.
Reminds Plyler of: Byron Maxwell
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Ranked as 15th best tight end-H Back in the nation by ESPN.com…had strong senior season at Calhoun high…Region 6 AAA Defensive Player of the Year…first-team all-region on offense and defense…first-team Chattanooga All-Area…County Defensive Player of the year… played his high school football at Calhoun High for Hal Lamb…teammate of 2019 signee Brannon Specter at Calhoun High…. Clemson recruiter was
Brandon Streeter and
Danny Pearman…committed to Clemson on June 10, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019.
Plyler says: Allen is a big, physical tight end who looks more like a traditional on-the-line tight end. I can see him developing into a terrific blocker. I can also see him in the running game being used the way Garrett Williams was this past season.
Reminds Plyler of: Michael Palmer
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Talented four-star linebacker who is ranked as the best player in Pennsylvania by some services…had strong 2018 season, leading his team to third straight Inter-AC Championship in a row…as a senior, had 106 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, five sacks and four interceptions…also had 313 yards rushing and 314 receiving on the offensive side of the ball…scored 14 total touchdowns…two-time conference MVP…all-state in 2017, 2018 team yet to be announced… #219 best player in the nation by Rivals.com…that service also ranks McGuire as best player in Pennsylvania and 11th best outside linebacker…seventh best player in Pennsylvania by 247 Sports..#26 best outside linebacker by Prep Stars…led his conference in tackles as a junior…had a touchdown catch in 2017 that was the #2 play of the day on ESPN SportsCenter… played high school football at Malvern Prep for Dave Gueriera….very active in community service, he went on a 10-day trip to Dominican Republic, June 8-18 to help build homes…also played on lacrosse team at Malvern…from same conference that produced Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) and Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame All-American)… … Clemson recruiters were Brandon Streeter and Brent Venables…committed to Clemson on April 27, 2018…..plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019.
Plyler says: Maguire is another big pick up. He looks like some Clemson linebackers already on campus like James Skalski or Chad Smith. He is a big linebacker who likes like he loves stepping up in the hole and stuffing the run. He is a much better athlete than I first thought though. His video shows some extremely plays and pears to be a prospect who simply makes plays.
Reminds Plyler of: James Skalski, Chad Smith
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Athletic safety who joins his 2017 high school teammate Justyn Ross at Clemson….Ross and Thornton are first scholarship athletes to come to Clemson from Phenix City since Marvin Sims (1976-79)…ranked as the 18th best player in state of Alabama by ESPN.com and Rivals.com….ranked as #13 prospect in Alabama by the Birmingham News…a big reason Central High won the state championship in 2018 with a 14-0 record…Thornton was a bright spot in the secondary that helped Central to 52-7 win in 7A state championship game against team led by Alabama signee Taulia Tagovailoa, the brother of Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa…Thornton had an interception and 68 yard return to set up a field goal in the third period of that game…Central had its first undefeated season since 1944 and first state championship since 1993… had 57 tackles and two interceptions in 2017, helping Central to the semifinals of the state championship tournament….wore #5 in high school…played his high school football at Central High School for Jamey Dubose….Clemson recruiter was
Todd Bates….committed to Clemson on June 22, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019.
Plyler says: Thornton is a big-body safety. His size will give him an early jump on playing time. He could also grow into a SAM linebacker. Like Zanders, he excels against the run. The thing about all of these safeties Clemson signed this year is they all are physical and all look like they are terrific at run support.
Reminds Plyler of: Darnell Stephens
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A 5-star cornerback who is ranked among the top 50 players in the nation by every service…ranked as #8 overall player in the nation by Rivals.com, the highest ranked Clemson signee in this class by that service…..they also rank him as the second best player in the state and the second best cornerback in the nation…ranked as the #27 overall player in the nation by Tom Lemming…rated as the #30 overall player in the nation by ESPN.com, who also have Booth as the third best cornerback in the nation and fifth best player in Georgia…ranked #32 overall player and third best cornerback by Prep Stars…ranked #41 overall player, second best cornerback and sixth best player in Georgia by 247 Sports…a three-year starter who had 162 career tackles, including 131 solo…had 13 interceptions, 44 passes defensed, four caused fumbles and a blocked field goal…on offense, had 22 receptions for 557 yards and four touchdowns…also had three punt return touchdowns over his career…as a junior, was all-state, all-region, all-county first team…as a senior in 2018, was Region Specialist of the Year, and county defensive back of the year…2018 team captain.…was selected to play in Under Armor All-American game… played high school football at Archer High School for Andy Dyer… Clemson recruiters were
Mickey Conn and Mike Reed….committed to Clemson on July 30, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019.
Plyler says: Booth might be the best football player in this class. He has good length and very long arms for a corner. Recently Rivals.com moved him into the top ten in the country in this class. This is what five-star corners look like, Booth has great physical abilities, but he also is productive. He makes plays. He can flip his hips and run with the faster wideout. He can also physically compete with the bigger wideout. I would be very surprised if he doesn’t come in and have a role early in his career.
Reminds Plyler of: A.J. Terrell
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Left footed punter Ranked as the third best punter in the nation by Prep Stars and Rivals.com…ranked as the fourth best punter by 247 Sports and 16th best punter by ESPN.com… handled kickoffs for IMG academy in 2018 and had 29 touchbacks on 46 kickoffs, 63 percent touch…opponents averaged just 19.6 yards per return…averaged 42.3 yards per punt in 2018 and 46.0 In 2017…had a 49-yard touchdown pass out of punt formation for IMG in 2017……opponents averaged just 2.5 yards per punt return in 2018…played two years at IMG Academy and two years at Jesuit High School in Tampa…punted for a 13-1 team that reached the state semifinals at Jesuit in 2015…Jesuit was 12-1 in 2016…was 54-80 on touchbacks at Jesuit in 2016…had eight touchbacks in a game twice… His sophomore season he was 1st team punter – All Hillsborough County and 1st team punter – All Tampa Bay – and 2nd Team 5A All State by the Associated Press…He also was a Track and Field athlete…was the Hillsborough County district Champion for high jump and a State Championship finalist… Head Coach at Jesuit Tampa was Matt Thompson and Special Teams Coach was Tom Feely…played at IMG Academy for Kevin Wright…. primary Clemson recruiter was
Tony Elliott and Danny Pearman….his mother is a Clemson graduate…committed to Clemson on March 5, 2018….plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
Plyler says: Swanson meets an obvious need this spring. This left-footer is as good as any punter in his class according to some. I can see him coming in and winning the job this spring. I don’t watch a lot of video of punters, but his hang time and leg strength are pretty easy to see on film.
Reminds Plyler of: The lefty Chris Gardocki
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One of the top offensive linemen in Broward Country, Florida, he helped Fort Lauderdale High to breakout 2018 season as athletic offensive tackle…had 49 knockdown blocks to lead the offensive line…team finished with a 9-3 record, most wins for the program since 1974…two of the three losses were to St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the top 10 teams in the nation according the USA Today….had 38 offers before selecting Clemson…Boateng made first-team All-Broward County in 2018 when he started every game…strong candidate for all-state, which has not been released… ranked as the #3 offensive lineman in Broward County entering 2018…ranked as #67 offensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com and #64 at his position by ESPN.com…in 2017, had 38 pancake blocks to lead the team…second-team All-Broward County…had 18 pancake blocks as a sophomore for the Flying L’s…played four years and started on the offensive line three years…has 80-inch wingspan…recruited by Brent Venables….played at Fort Lauderdale High for Richard Dunbar…Committed to Clemson on signing day, December 19, 2018.
Plyler says: He plays left tackle for his high school but they pull him a lot on the power trey often. He looks good pulling. Boateng plays hard and appears to play with a mean streak. He finishes blocks and has a nice punch. He looks like he plays a little high at times and is still raw but there are skills there to develop.
Reminds Plyler of: Corey Lambert
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One of the top linebackers in South Carolina, he played in the Shrine Bowl for South Carolina in 2018… four-year starter at Swansea…played inside linebacker in 2017 and outside linebacker in 2018…ranked as the eighth best overall player in state of South Carolina by ESPN.com…listed 12th in the state by Rivals.com and 16th by 247 Sports…had 78 tackles with a sack, two forced fumbles and three interceptions as a senior in 2018…named the Region 5 Defensive Player of the Year…All-Region 5 AAA All-Region in football and basketball in 2017-18 academic year…the basketball team won the Region 5 AAA Championship in 2017-18…had outstanding junior year in 2017 when he had 103 tackles… comes to Clemson from Swansea, SC, same hometown that sent Bryant McNeal to the Tigers between 1999-2002…wore #4 for Swansea…played at Swansea High School for first-year coach Eric Pack… primary Clemson recruiters were Brandon Streeter and Brent Venables….committed to Clemson on June 21, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019.
Plyler says: Williams was one of the best looking defensive players in South Carolina. He could be a huge linebacker that could fit in a spot like Tre Lamar, or you could see him develop into a defensive end down the line. He is not too stiff to play linebacker, but coming off the edge may be his long term calling card.
Reminds Plyler of: Tre Lamar
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Ranked among the top 51 players in the nation by five services…Clemson’s highest rated player in the class of 2019 by Prep Stars, he is 22nd overall and the fifth best wide receiver with a five-star rating…rated #23 player in the nation by USA Today Chosen 25…ranked 33rd best overall player by 247 Sports, who also see him as fourth best receiver in the nation and fourth best overall player from Florida…ESPN has Ladson 35th overall, third best from state of Florida and fifth best wide receiver…Rivals.com ranks Ladson 36th best overall, fifth best from Florida and seventh best wide receiver….noted recruiting analyst Tom Lemming ranks Ladson 51st among his top 100 players… attended The Opening in summer of 2018….had record setting senior year when he had 50 catches for 1,133 yards (22.7 per catch) and 13 touchdowns…set school record for receiving yards…led team to a 10-3 season in 2018…as a junior had 29 catches for 675 yards (23.7 per catch) and eight touchdowns…over last two years had 79 receptions for 1,808 yards and 21 touchdowns….that is 22.9 yards per reception…will play in All-American Bowl…played his high school football at South Dade High School for Nathaniel Hudson…wore #9 in high school…primary Clemson recruiter was
Jeff Scott…. committed to Clemson on April 14, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019.
Plyler says: Ladson looks like Tee Higgins to me. He is long and athletic. I love his film. Ladson looks like a five-star to me. He uses those long strides to get behind defenders. He also is able to use his length in jump ball situations. Perhaps the best compliment is he looks like what Jeff Scott is accustomed to at wide receiver at Clemson.
Reminds Plyler of: Tee Higgins
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Ranked as seventh best player in Maryland by ESPN.com, they have him as 22nd best defensive tackle in the nation…ranked as eighth best player in Maryland and #29 defensive tackle by Rivals.com…ranked as 11th best player in Maryland and 33rd best defensive tackle in nation by 247 Sports….joined the Williamsport football program in the Spring of 2017… (delete this space) team captain in 2017 & 2018…. Herald-Mail Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018…Washington County (MD) Coaches Defensive Player of the Year in 2018…Herald-Mail All Area Team as both offensive lineman and defensive lineman in 2017 and 2018…led Williamsport High to best season in 20 Years in 2017…anchored best defense in school history in 2017…. over his last two years, had 184 tackles, 44 tackles for loss and 12 sacks…had eight rushing touchdowns on goal line situations over 2017 and 2018…after senior season was invited to USA Football National Team to participate in the 2019 International Bowl…also an outstanding wrestler, finished third in the heavyweight division as a junior, his first year of competition….also plans to compete on the school wrestling team in the winter of 2019…honor Roll student….member of Program Leadership Council 2017 and 2018…played his high school football at Williamsport High School for Tim Small… Clemson recruiters was Todd Bates and Mike Reed….committed to Clemson on May 14, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019… first name is pronounced TAY-kwan
Plyler says: Johnson is a huge defensive tackle prospect who is still somewhat raw, but he has a huge upside. I think he can be an excellent player because he has raw ability. I am not familiar with his level of completion but this is a rare talent that has the size to really blossom into a good player in time.
Reminds Plyler of: Brandon Thompson
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Ranked as 24th best player in North Carolina by ESPN.com…had 51 tackles and five interceptions as a starting safety in 2018…returned two of his five interceptions for touchdowns…had a fumble return and 175 yards rushing and a touchdown…as a receiver, had 545 receiving yards and eight touchdowns…first-team all-conference…team finished 9-4 in 2018… in 2017, had 54 tackles and six interceptions to go with seven tackles for loss…had five receiving touchdowns on 24 catches for 363 yards…averaged 15 yards per catch…played his high school football at Crest High School for Nicholas Eddins…. Clemson recruiter was Mickey Conn….comes to Clemson from same school that produced Clemson linebacker Justin Foster…that school also produced former ACC basketball great David Thompson and former NFL linebacker Brandon Spikes… committed to Clemson on April 4, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
Plyler says: Zanders is an underrated prospect. His video is very impressive. He looks very physical. He looks comfortable coming down in the box and playing close to the line of scrimmage. I love the way he tackles.
Reminds Plyler of: Jeff Suttle
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Four-star safety according to ESPN.com…ranked as 28th best safety in the nation by that service…Rivals.com also ranks him #28 among safeties….three-year starter who finished his career with 198 tackles, 127 solos and 71 assists…had six tackles for loss, two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, on caused fumble, three recovered fumbles and a blocked punt….had 16 receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown…in 2017, all-regional defense back…in 2018, all-region and all-county…one of the team captains in 2018…played at Archer High School for Andy Dyer… primary Clemson recruiter was Mickey Conn….committed to Clemson on August 20, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019…. First name is pronounced JAY-lynn
Plyler says: Phillips is a fundamentally-sound safety prospect. You can tell he was well-coached in high school. He is a sound tackler and a guy who seems like he seldom takes bad angles. Clemson needs depth at safety and this is a good enough to athlete to compete early.
Reminds Plyler of: Rashard Hall
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Among the top quarterbacks in the nation…ranked as 166th best overall player in the nation by ESPN.com, who also call him the #1 player in Connecticut and eighth best pocket passing quarterback in the nation…Rivals.com lists him as best player in Connecticut and fifth best quarterback in the nation….247.com calls him fifth best player in Connecticut and third best quarterback in the nation…consensus four-star prospect…played his high school football at Avon Old Farms School for Pierce Brennan…played two years at Harding High School in Bridgeport and two at Avon Old Farms Prep…for his high school career, he completed 339 of 556 yards for 5224 yards and 46 touchdowns against 12 interceptions…had 300 rushes for 1264 yards and 25 touchdowns…so, had 6,492 yards of total offense and 71 touchdowns…had his best year in 2017 when he had passing efficiency of 205…completed 135 of 192 passes for 2253 yards and 22 touchdowns against just one interception at Avon Old Farms in 2017…also had 122 carries for 633 yards for another 17 touchdowns…so he accounted for 39 touchdowns in just nine games…took team to 8-1 record…in 2018 had injury plagued year and played just six games…was 73-128 for 1,066 yards and nine scores…had another 163 yards rushing and two scores…for high school career had passing efficiency of 162… primary Clemson recruiter was Brandon Streeter….played high school prep football in Connecticut, same general area as Christian Wilkins… committed to Clemson on April 14, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019…. name is pronounced Tyson; PUMA-chon
Plyler says: It’s hard to go sign a top quarterback prospect with as many quarterbacks on the roster as Clemson had when it started recruiting Phommachanh, but the staff deserves a lot of credit for identifying him as their top target. They also deserve credit for creating a program that is this attractive for quarterbacks. Taisun is not a finished product, but he doesn’t have to be yet. He is a terrific athlete who continues to improve as a passer. I would say he reminds me a little of Kelly Bryant at this stage, but Taisun is a much better passer coming into college. I am not familiar with his level of competition, but I am not sure that will be a huge deal by the time he gets on the field here.
Reminds Plyler of: Kelly Bryant
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One of the top five tight ends or H-Backs in the nation by ESPN and Rivals…ESPN ranks Lay as the fourth best tight end/h-back, while Rivals ranks him fifth in that position….Lay is ranked as the #165 best all-around player in the nation and 16th best player from the state of Georgia…ranked as the 21st best overall tight end by 247 Sports….helped Riverdale High School to an 8-4 record in 2018…had 29 receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns in 2017…had 7-119 and a touchdown in 2016…at 6-6 tied for the tallest tight end in Clemson history…played his high school football at Riverdale High School for Rodney Hackney…Clemson recruiters were Mike Reed and Danny Pearman….older brother is a student at West Point…committed to Clemson on March 3, 2018… plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019…. first name pronounced: JAY-lynn
Plyler says: Lay is one of those rare great-looking athletes. He has the body that every school is looking for. He is still raw in his routes and his ball skills, but those can be developed. His video showcases his physical nature. I think he can be developed into a tight end that can be a big mismatch and a guy that could potentially get involved vertically.
Reminds Plyler of: Milan Richard
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Led the state of Georgia in sacks in 2017 with 23.5…had 40 tackles for loss among his 101 tackles…. starter for the past three seasons and has been all-region three times….all-state selection in 2017, the 2018 all-state team has not been announced…. career leader at Winder –Barrow High School in sacks with 42.5….recorded 204 total tackles in his career at Winder-Barrow High School…..in 2018 played just seven games, but had 40 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and five sacks…had nine tackles, five of which were tackles for loss against Flowery Branch…had 101 tackles as a junior, he had four games with double figures…had 10 tackles, including five sacks against Habersham Central for his best game of the year… high school coach Ed Dudley said, ” Logan is one of the best young men I have had the opportunity to coach in the past 35 years. His enthusiasm, energy, and passion for the game are unmatched.”…Clemson recruiter was Mickey Conn…committed to Clemson on June 21, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
Plyler says: Cash is a motor guy. He really plays hard. He plays with an edge. I am not sure if he is a defensive end, defensive tackle or an offensive lineman. He could be the next Logan Rudolph on defense or the next Tyler Shatley or Gage Cervenka on the offensive line. I do know that Clemson is getting a football player with a big motor. Cash will enroll early as well.
Reminds Plyler of: Gage Cervenka
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A national top 150 player from Georgia…ranked #122 overall player by 247 Sports, he is listed as #13 safety nationally and #14 overall player in Georgia….ranked #150 overall player by Rivals.com, they have him as 14th best safety and 13th best overall player from Georgia…ESPN.com has Charleston as a top 300 player, 14th best safety and 29th best player in Georgia…had team best 83 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two caused fumbles, a fumble return of 46 yards and two interceptions as a senior…had 12 tackles against Roswell and 10 against South Gwinnett…helped his team to AAAAAAA state championship, a first for the Milton High program… played his high school football for Adam Clack….primary Clemson recruiter was Mickey Conn… committed to Clemson on October 10, 2017, he was the first player in this class to commit to the Tigers…plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
Plyler says: Charleston jumped in the boat early and stayed with the Tigers. Clemson needed safeties in this class and got one of the best in the country with Charleston. I like his length and range. His video shows his breaking on balls in the passing game and filling the lane in the run game. I would be very surprised if we don’t see him in the field early in his career. The Tigers need safeties and I think he enters college as the most ready of the guys in this class.
Reminds Plyler of: Leomont Evans
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Four-star prospect by ESPN.com who is ranked as 18th best offensive guard in the nation…247 Sports ranked him as 27th best offensive guard… played his first three years of high school football at West Florida Tech….played on the varsity as an offensive tackle at the end of 2015 season, then started in 2016 and 2017…team reached second round of the state playoffs in 2016 and Final Four in 2017…also played baseball as a pitcher and first baseman at West Florida Tech…transferred to Pensacola High School for his senior year and played baseball in spring of 2018 and football in the fall…on the gridiron named to the all-area team…played in all-area All-Star game on December 14…played his senior year of high school football at Pensacola High for Mike Mincy….his brother plays college baseball at Coastal Alabama…won Pensacola High FCA Award for 2018…named to National Honor Society…primary Clemson recruiter was Jeff Scott and
Robbie Caldwell…. committed to Clemson on June 11, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
Plyler says: Clemson is in dire need of interior offensive linemen and Rayburn met a great need. Some feel he was a tackle, but his body looks like he can play guard or center. Rayburn comes off of the football well. The staff loved him early and he definitely has a chance to make an impact at a huge area of need.
Reminds Plyler of: Jay Guillermo
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National top 300 player by three services who was standout two-way player…ranked #138 overall player in the nation by 247 Sports, they also see him as seventh best player in Tennessee and 12th best inside linebacker…ranked #202 overall and fifth best inside linebacker by Prep Stars…ESPN ranks Patterson #262 overall and sixth best player in Tennessee and sixth best inside linebacker… finished the 2018 season with 647 yards rushing on 92 carries for a 7.0 average…also had 16 touchdowns…on defense had 59 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, including four sacks…led team to state championship Division II AA…was MVP of state championship game, he had 13 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns and had seven tackles on defense…found out the next day he was invited to All-American Bowl in San Antonio…as a junior in 2017, had 1,003 yards rushing in just 110 carries, a 9.1 average…had 23 touchdowns and four 100-yard rushing games…played just 12 games, he suffered knee injury in state playoffs of 2017..…had 64 tackles on defense in those 12 games and had 12.5 tackles for loss…in 2016 as a sophomore, had 141 yards rushing and 27 tackles on defense…for career, had 42 touchdowns, all rushing, in 5 games…finished with 1,794 yards rushing on 227 carries, 7.9 yards per rush…had 258 career tackles, including 38.5 tackles for loss, 13 of which were sacks…played at Christ Presbyterian Academy for Coach Ingle Martin….wore #4 in high school… Clemson recruiter was
Lemanski Hall…committed to Clemson on September 4, 2018….plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019.
Plyler says: Patterson is a former Ohio State commitment who flipped to Clemson. The staff had ties to his family and this should pay off very well for this staff. On video, you can see why OSU offered early. He plays sideline to sideline. I liked the way he drops into coverage but also feel like he is a terrific pass rusher as well. I really like his versatility. He is an athlete who played several positions on both sides of the ball, but is headed for a linebacker spot at Clemson. My guess is it will be an inside linebacker spot.
Reminds Plyler of: James Skalski
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Ranked as the #119 overall player in the nation by Prep Stars…rated #177 overall player by Rivals.com who also see him as the ninth best inside linebacker and eighth best player from Alabama…four-star by Prep Stars, ESPN and Rivals…ESPN has him as #289 best overall player in the nation, the seventh best inside linebacker and 12th best player in Alabama…had strong senior year with 118 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four passes broken up…ranked as #6 player in Alabama by Al.com…Lineman of the Year by the Birmingham Quarterback Club…named Defensive Player of the Year in Birmingham…Played high school football at Jackson-Olin High for coach Tim Vakakes… Clemson recruiter was Todd Bates…committed to Clemson on July 27, 2018….plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019…. LaVonta Bentley: luh-VON-tay.
Plyler says: Bentley is another terrific pick up at linebacker. He doesn’t have great length, but he does showcase very good instincts. On video, Bentley finds the football. He is athletic enough to get to the perimeter plays and strong enough to hold up between the tackles. This is a typical Venables linebacker.
Reminds Plyler of: Leroy Hill
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Second generation Clemson player who played wide receiver and safety in high school…had 49 receptions for 719 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018 as a senior…had 47 tackles, five tackles for loss, and five interceptions on defense…returned one interception for a touchdown…had one of his best all-around games in the season opener, he had eight catches for 103 yards and a touchdown on offense, and an interception on defense against Ridgeland…had one of his best games in the state playoffs when he had 87 receiving yards and a touchdown in a victory…Region 6 AAA Athlete of the Year…first-team all-region…first-team Chattanooga Times All-Area…County Player of the Year…in 2017 team won the state championship with a 14-1 record… played his high school football at Calhoun High School for Hal Lamb…. high school teammate of 2019 Clemson signee Davis Allen at Calhoun High… showed his athletic ability at the Atlanta Regional of The Opening, he finished second in the competition to
Nolan Smith, one of the top five players in the nation…brother of Clemson linebacker Baylon Spector…his dad, Robbie Spector, was a wide receiver for the Tigers who lettered from 1988-90…Clemson won two ACC Championships when Robbie was on the team and his senior class had a 40-8 record with four straight 10-2 seasons…Brannon also has a sister (Blair) at Clemson…also runs track at Calhoun, he competed in the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump… Clemson recruiters were Brandon Streeter and Jeff Scott… committed to Clemson on October 28, 2017… plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019.
Plyler says: Spector is a much better athlete than I expected. He fits right into the possession receiver spot that Clemson has had success with in players like Tyler Grisham, Adam Humphries and Hunter Renfrow. He is a tough kid who looks like he loves to compete when you watch his video.
Reminds Plyler of: Adam Humphries
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Unanimous four-star linebacker who will join Travis Etienne as Louisiana natives on the Clemson team for 2019…top 100 player according to Rivals.com, who list him as #94 overall player, fifth best inside linebacker and seventh best player from Louisiana…ranked as fourth best inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN, who see him as #157 best overall player in the nation and 10th best player from Louisiana…ranked #199 in the nation by 247 Sports, he is the sixth best inside linebacker and seventh best player from Louisiana in their latest ratings…attended The Opening in summer of 2018…helped University Lab to state championships in 2017 and 2018…had 104 tackles, including 23 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2017…also had two caused fumbles and a pick six…All-Metro MVP and 3A all-state…in 2018, helped team to 13-0 record and state title…also played high school basketball…wore #21 in high school…will play in the World Bowl in Mexico on December 22, then, will play in Under Armor All-American game…played his high school football at University Lab School for Chad Mahaffey… Clemson recruiter was Brent Venables….committed to Clemson on April 13, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in the summer of 2019…. Bryton Constantin: BRY-tin; CON-stin-teen
Plyler says: Constantin was a huge pick up for this class. Clemson needed linebackers and Brent Venables identified him long before others got a chance to. He is a thumper who destroys offensive ball carriers. I think he is the hardest hitter of this impressive linebacker group. Some think is good enough to play in space as an outside linebacker but others think he can grow into an inside run stopper. I can’t wait to see how Venables develops this future star. He looks very natural dropping into coverage.
Reminds Plyler of: David Dunham
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Ranked as sixth best overall player in the state of Missouri by 247-sports….ranked as 28th best defensive end in the nation by that site…ranked as ninth best overall player from Missouri in this class by Rivals.com and the 41st best defensive end…ranked as 11th best player in Missouri by ESPN and 35th best defensive end….second signee from the state of Missouri to come to Clemson, he joins now teammate Mario Goodrich, who is also from the Kansas City area…only played three years of football, he has a high upside with a large wingspan…named team defensive Lineman of the Year at Park Hill South High School each of the last two years…first-team all-conference, all-district and second-team all-state by the Missouri Football Coaches Association…Mr. Panther Award winner at Park Hill South, the most prestigious award presented by the program…nominated for the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive lineman or linebacker in Greater Kansas City….finished 2018 with 62 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, including three sacks….also recorded a safety…finished his junior year with 55 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, including three sacks, two forced fumbles and one recovered fumble…made first-team all-conference and all-district in 2018 (don’t know results of all-state yet)…played his high school football at Park Hill South High School for Mike Sharp… Clemson recruiters were Todd Bates and Brent Venables…. committed to Clemson on July 29, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
Plyler says: Reuben is a big defensive end prospect who could stay there or grow into a defensive tackle. I like his video, but a lot will depend on how much he grows and how much his body is developed. I am not familiar with his long-term body projection but he looks like an athletic body who has a big upside. He enrolls early and it will be interesting to see his baseline.
Reminds Plyler of: Richard McCullough
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Rated as #60 overall player in the nation by ESPN and #74 by Tom Lemming….unanimous 4-star player….ESPN lists him as #7 defensive tackle in the nation and seventh best overall player in Florida…Rivals.com lists him as 18th best defensive tackle in the nation…national top 300 player according to 247 Sports, they rank him as #218 player in the nation…they also see him as 12th best defensive tackle in the nation and 24th best player in Florida…had 34 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2018…had best game against West Orange when he had eight tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks…had an interception in 2018 as well…helped team to 11-2 record and a top 10 ranking in the state of Florida….played his high school football at Wekiva High School for Rich Bedesem… Clemson recruiter was Todd Bates…. did not commit to the Tigers until signing day, December 19, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019.
Plyler says: This was a big pick up for the staff. There was not a lot of pure defensive tackles in the wheel house this year and Davis was a must get. Clemson turned him fairly late in the process. This is a position where some depth will be needed in 2019 and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Davis get quality snaps next season. He reminds some of Grady Jarrett in that he doesn’t have great length, but he pursues the football all over the field.
Reminds Plyler of: Grady Jarrett
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One of the top running backs in the nation and one of the top all-around players from Florida…ranked #137 overall player in the nation by ESPN.com, they rank him as seventh best running back and 23rd overall player in Florida…247.com lists him as 17th best running back in the nation, while Rivals has him as the 20th best running back…#216 player overall and 14th best running back by Prep Stars…unanimous four-star rating…finished his high school career with 3,905 yards rushing and 50 touchdowns…had 4,409 all-purpose yards and 55 total touchdowns…eight-time Player of the Game according to Max Preps over his last two years…averaged incredible 9.3 yards per carry over 32 games and 421 carries…had 21 100-yard games…as a senior had career best 1,819 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns…averaged 165 yards a game and 9.9 yards per rush…had three straight 200-yard rushing games early in the season …had eight games with at least 167 yards as a senior…as a junior had 1,505 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns…team reached semifinals of state playoffs…averaged 125 yards rushing per game with a high game of 219 vs. Palmetto Ridge… will play in All-American Bowl ….Mellusi played his high school football at Naples High School for Bill Kramer…. Clemson recruiters were Brandon Streeter and Tony Elliott….committed to Clemson on April 16, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in summer of 2019…. Last name pronounced: mell-OOH-see
Plyler says: Mellusi is a very athletic looking back who has a lot of attributes this staff was looking for. On video he looks strong enough to break tackles but athletic enough to make defenders miss. Maybe the thing that sticks out the most is his acceleration. I would say this is a back who keeps getting better at each stage and a back who fits right in line with the athletic backs already on campus. He also looks comfortable catching the football out of the backfield, in fact I would say this might be his second-best attribute.
Reminds Plyler of: Travis Zachery
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First Clemson football signee from the state of Michigan since 1975 Joe Carolan)…athletic defensive end who played just two years of high school football…ranked as 15th best overall player in Michigan by 247 Sports, 18th best by Rivals.com and 17th best in Michigan by ESPN.com…..born in Nigeria, he came to United States when he was nine….played basketball as a youth and in high school, he averaged a double-double as a sophomore….the week after his sophomore season of basketball ended in the state semifinals, he met with the school’s football coaches and decided to join the team for spring practice….did not play his first football game until the fall of 2017…had solid 2017 and received some offers, including from Michigan and Michigan State…as a senior in 2018, had 13 sacks and 22 tackles for loss to go with 60 tackles…scored a touchdown on a fumble return…helped team to an 8-2 season…played his high school football at River Rouge High School for Corey Parker… Clemson recruiters were Brent Venables and Lemanski Hall….has three cousins who played or are still playing college football, Michael Ojemudia (Iowa), Mario Ojemudia (Michigan) and Ovie Oghoufo (red-shirting. DE at Notre Dame in 2018)… committed to Clemson on June 15, 2018…plans to enroll at Clemson in January, 2019…. Ruke Orhorhoro: First name rhymes with juke; Oh-roh-roh-roh
Plyler says: Orhorhoro is like Reuben in that he is either a big defensive end or a prospect who could grow into a defensive tackle. His video is also impressive. He can rush the passer and several times you can see him chase down players on the perimeter. Clemson needs bodies at both spots and I like his versatility. He will enroll in January. I am interested to see how he compares to the rest of the class when he gets on campus.
Reminds Plyler of: Nick Eason
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Ranked as a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, which listed him as the 21st-best overall player in the nation, fourth-best player from the state of California and fifth-best wide receiver … 247Sports ranked Ngata as 39th-best overall player, the ninth-best from California and eighth-best wide receiver … listed as 28th-best overall player in the nation by Tom Lemming … ESPN.com rated him as its No. 159 overall player … led his team to the state championship each of his final two years … led Folsom High in the 2018 state championship victory on Dec. 14 with nine receptions for 103 yards and a score … his touchdown catch with under two minutes left sent the game into overtime … team finished 14-1 in 2018 … for his high school career, had 188 receptions for 3,682 yards and 55 touchdowns … team had a 39-3 record in his three years on the varsity … had a touchdown catch in 36 of 42 career games … also had 17-yard average on rushing plays (17-236) … in 2018, had 66 catches for 1,272 yards and 22 scores, a 19.3-yard average … had six 100-yard receiving games … caught a touchdown in each of his last 10 games and 13 of the 15 games in 2018 … added 8-86 rushing … in 2017, had career-high 81 receptions for 1,777 yards and 26 scores … averaged 22 yards per catch … led team to a 16-0 record with seven 100-yard receiving games, including two games with at least 200 yards … had 12-202 against Oakdale High in 2017 … had 8-213 and career high four touchdowns against St. Mary’s in 2017 … caught at least one TD pass in 14 of 16 games … had 41-633 receiving and seven touchdowns as a sophomore … had 9-139 receiving in his first career high school game in 2016 … had a touchdown catch in seven of 11 games in 2016 … played his high school football at Folsom High School for Kris Richardson … primary Clemson recruiter was Jeff Scott … will be first Clemson signee from California to matriculate to Clemson since Bobby Forbes in 1991 … attended same high school as Washington quarterback Jake Browning … wore No. 10 in high school … will play in All-American Bowl … committed to Clemson on July 28, 2018 … plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019 … last name pronounced: enn-GOT-uh.
Plyler says: Ngata is a big, strong, physical wideout. His video is extremely impressive. I say he reminds me a lot of Justyn Ross because of how physical he plays. Much like Ross, Ngata is a terrific blocker who dominates corners on the edge. You can easily see how he is a five-star prospect. This is what Clemson looks for at this spot.
Reminds Plyler of: Justyn Ross
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National top 120 player and four-star recruit by three services … ranked No. 80 overall player in the nation by 247Sports, third-best offensive guard in the nation and 11th-best overall player in Florida … Rivals.com ranked Putnam as its No. 106 overall player, No. 7 offensive guard and No. 14 player in Florida … ESPN.com listed him as No. 116 overall player, No. 5 offensive guard and No. 15 player in Florida … will play in US Army All-American game in San Antonio on Jan. 5 … played for Robert Werner at Plant High School in Tampa the last two years … played at Glenwood High School in Chatham, Ill. as a freshman and sophomore … father is with the U.S. Army and his job was reason for the transfer … helped Plant High to 11-2 season in 2018 … one of four team captains in 2018 for Plant … played both ways throughout his career … in addition to his outstanding blocking, had 63 tackles on defense in 2018 with eight tackles for loss, five of which were sacks … had 31 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss in 2016 at Glenwood High … outstanding wrestler who competed in state heavyweight tournament as a freshman at Glenwood in 2016 … was the Florida state champion as a heavyweight in 2018 with a 25-0 record for the season … recruited by Robbie Caldwell and Tony Elliott … signed with Clemson on Dec. 20, 2018 … plans to enroll at Clemson in January 2019.
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Three-year starter who started 41 career games for Dorman … two-time all-area selection by the Herald-Journal, helping his team to back-to-back Region II-AAAAA titles … earned second-team all-state honors from USA Today … guided team to an 11-2 record and a berth in the third round of the SCHSL AAAAA playoffs as a senior in 2018 … credited with a team-high 27 pancake blocks that year in helping his starting running back produce 1,720 yards and 19 touchdowns … as a junior in 2017, recorded 28 pancake blocks and led an offensive line that helped produce three 1,000-yard rushers en route to a state championship berth … ranked among the top 75 recruits in South Carolina according to 247Sports … participated in the Shrine Bowl … played for coach David Gutshall at Dorman … high school teammate of Clemson quarterback Ben Batson and offensive lineman Jordan McFadden … primary Clemson recruiters were Robbie Caldwell and Jeff Scott … will enroll at Clemson in the summer of 2019 with intent to grayshirt.
Plyler says: This is a very solid offensive line pick up. Clemson needed to rebuild the offensive line and these four signees have added depth. Trotter is another in a long line of Dorman high school offensive linemen. Go back and look at the excellent college offensive linemen that have come out of the program and it is no coincidence because they are all very well coached. Coaches who I have spoken to in the state speak highly of him and his versatility.
Reminds Plyler of: Will Merritt
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Ranked by 247Sports as one of the top 50 running backs in the nation and as the No. 13 player at any position in South Carolina … rated by Rivals.com as the No. 21 player in the state … considered the No. 17 player in South Carolina by ESPN.com … PrepStar All-Atlantic Region selection … concluded prep career with 685 carries for 8,762 rushing yards and 117 rushing touchdowns as well as 34 receptions for 743 yards and nine receiving touchdowns … led his team to an 11-2 record and a state runner-up finish as a senior in 2018 in the school’s first season in AAA … rushed 188 times for 2,030 yards with 29 rushing touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 136 yards with two receiving touchdowns in 2018 … won Lonnie Robinson Memorial Award as SCISA Player of the Year and shared All-Lowcountry Player of the Year honors … notched 335 rushing yards in his penultimate high school game, a win over Porter-Guad in the SCISA AAA semifinals … helped team to SCISA AA titles in 2016 and 2017 … played his high school football at First Baptist School for coach Johnny Waters … primary Clemson recruiter was Tony Elliott … will enroll at Clemson in the summer of 2019.
Plyler says: Dukes is one of the most productive backs we have seen in South Carolina in recent years. He was also a division one basketball recruit. This is an athletic back who showcases excellent quickness and ability to change directions well. The only thing we don’t know is the level of competition. On film he runs away from people. This is another high character kid who fits the culture.
Reminds Plyler of: Rod McDowell
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* Bios from Clemson Sports Information
Tags: Clemson Football,
Sheridan Jones,
Davis Allen,
Keith Maguire,
Ray Thornton,
Andrew Booth,
Aidan Swanson,
Kaleb Boateng,
Greg Williams,
Frank Ladson,
Tayquon Johnson,
Lannden Zanders,
Jalyn Phillips,
Taisun Phommachanh,
Jaelyn Lay,
Logan Cash,
Joseph Charleston,
Hunter Rayburn,
Kane Patterson,
Vonta Bentley,
Brannon Spector,
Bryton Constantin,
Etinosa Reuben,
Tyler Davis,
Chez Mellusi,
Ruke Orhorhoro,
Joe Ngata,
William Putnam,
Nolan Smith,
Brent Venables,
Robbie Caldwell,
Tony Elliott,
Danny Pearman,
Jeff Scott,
Mike Reed,
Brandon Streeter,
Todd Bates,
Mickey Conn,
Lemanski Hall