By Hale McGranahan.

Julian Rochester, one of the top defensive tackles in the class of 2016, spent his freshman year at Greenville High School.

Now a four-star prospect at McEachern, which sits just outside of Atlanta in Powder Springs, Rochester is being sought ought by a number of top programs, including Auburn, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and LSU.

He’s been to Auburn twice this season. Alabama hosted him for the Florida game. A trip to Florida State could be in store this weekend, so is a return to Alabama for the Iron Bowl.

Though Clemson hasn’t had him on campus since the Dabo Swinney Football Camp, several of the Tigers’ coaches have been in touch. Tony Elliott recruits Rochester’s area, but Dabo Swinney, Brent Venables and Dan Brooks play a role in his recruitment.

Brooks was the most recent Clemson coach to be in contact.

“About two weeks ago, I talked to coach Brooks and we talked about getting up there, because I’ve got family up there and he was just like, come up there for another visit and everything, check the place out and stuff like that,” Rochester said.

Rochester has a grandmother, aunt and uncle in Greenville. He admitted that could work in Clemson’s favor, but wouldn’t offer any information about who his leaders are.

“That would really workout,” Rochester said of his family in Greenville. “That support, because if I needed something, I always have family up there, it would kind of work out.”

There is no timeline for a decision.

“When things get hectic, when they can start contacting me, it might be a little bit earlier, but I might try to hold out until February…I don’t know yet,” he said. “I really want to weigh my options and really make the right decision, take all my officials and everything.”

Plenty of factors will be considered as he works through his options.

“Just a chance to play early, that’s what everybody wants,” Rochester said. “What kind of scheme it is, how do I fit in the scheme? The campus, the coaches and the record or chance to win the national championship, all those things are (important) to me. The school, what I would major in, all of that.”

Rochester estimated that he has 85 tackles, 12 sacks and 25 tackles for loss this season.