CHARLOTTE – River Bluff junior Brandon Tillmon was named MVP of the linebacker group at The Opening-Charlotte earlier this month.

The 6-foot, 209-pound prospect spoke with TheClemsonInsider after the event.

“It meant a lot, because of all the players out there, all of them, they got invited there. It was good competition. To be named the MVP, it was just an honor,” Tillmon said.

He added, “My whole mindset going into it, I was going to run everywhere, never walk on the field, and leaving it all out there.”

Liberty is the only offer listed by Tillmon, who plays quarterback at River Bluff, but will play defense at the next level. He thinks his performance at The Opening will be a “major boost” to his recruiting stock.

“Now, a bunch of the colleges are just saying they need to see more film on me at the linebacker spot,” he said. “Hopefully, me getting this award at such a high-prestige camp will display that I can actually play the position.”

Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter stopped by his school earlier this spring.

“They’re still pretty high on my list, because of the prestige of their program. I haven’t really talked to them a lot lately,” Tillmon said.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables serves as his primary recruiter to Clemson.

“It’s just been here and there now, it’s not consistent like it used to be,” Tillmon said of his contact with Venables.

Wake Forest, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Mercer and Charlotte are also expressing interest.

Tillmon threw for over 1,300 yards, rushed for 1,200 and accounted for 24 total touchdowns last season. He played only a handful of snaps on defense.