By Hale McGranahan.

Clemson was first to offer Dax Hollifield, a 2018 linebacker from Shelby, North Carolina.

The Tigers pulled the trigger late last week when defensive tackles coach Dan Brooks stopped by the school.

“They came to the school on Friday and talked to my coach…my coach told me, that’s how I really found out,” Hollifield told TheClemsonInsider over the weekend.

He added, “It was a big surprise, huge surprise.”

Clemson had Hollifield on campus in the fall.

“I like it. I like Clemson a lot. I went to the Louisville game,” he said. “It was a really nice place. I was impressed with that place. It’s the first one, so it makes it special to me, I guess.”

UNC offered on Monday night. N.C. State and Wake Forest are also in contact.

“I’m going to N.C. State on the 31st for Junior Day and that’s about really all right now. I’m going to Clemson sometime, I know that,” Hollifield said.

As a freshman, he had 129 tackles, six sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception.