To say that [autotag]Dakereon Joyner[/autotag] wanted a Clemson offer would be an understatement.
Before wrapping up practice on Wednesday at the [autotag]Dabo Swinney Football Camp[/autotag], Joyner got the official word from Tony Elliott, his area recruiter.
“Coach Elliott told me while we were doing 1-on-1’s,” Joyner said. “After I threw a couple of balls, he pulled me over to the side and he told me that he wants me to play quarterback and everyone wants me to play quarterback, but with the athletic ability I have, I can play anywhere on the field.
“And coach (Dabo) Swinney just really wants me to be apart of their program, because of my character and how I carry myself. That was a big part of it.”
Joyner then got down on one knee and began to pray.
“Because all week, mainly since my eighth grade year, I’ve been praying to get that Clemson offer,” he said. “And it’s crazy how I got it. I was blessed with it.”
The 2018 prospect from Fort Dorchester also has offers from Georgia, UNC, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Newest 2016 offer: Of the five camp offers that were extended on Wednesday, the lone 2016 prospect to add Clemson to his list was Eagles Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.) offensive tackle Chandler Reeves.
Rated with three stars and ranked by Scout.com as the No. 65 offensive tackle in the country, the 6-foot-6, 255-pound prospect also lists Georgia Tech, Maryland, Syracuse, Cal and USF.
Area recruiter Marion Hobby delivered the news over the phone a day after Reeves worked out for the Clemson staff.
“I wasn’t 100 percent walking in there (to camp), knowing that I was going to get an offer, but I was definitely encouraged the way coach Hobby was talking,” Reeves said. “He told me I was one of the top guys on their board and with a good performance, with it could come an offer…so I just kind of went in and did my best, and came out with an offer.”
Reeves will return to Clemson this weekend.
“Just to take my parents and kind of get them on the same page I am, as far as Clemson goes and how I feel about Clemson,” he said. “I want them to see the campus and meet coach Hobby and meet coach Caldwell and everything like that.
“I’m doing it this weekend just because coach Hobby said, after this weekend, after this little camp that they’re doing, all of the coaches will be going on vacation, so it will be kind of hit and miss who’s there and who’s not. So I’m just going to go ahead and shoot up there (to) see things and show my parents.”
Change of plans: Chapin tight end [autotag]Will Register[/autotag] got word on Tuesday that the Clemson staff had originally planned to go without a tight end in the 2017 class.
On Wednesday, Chapin head coach Justin Gentry advised Register to call area recruiter Brandon Streeter. While on the phone with Streeter, Register also spoke to tight ends coach Danny Pearman.
The Clemson assistants delivered told Register the Tigers would be his first high-major offer.
“They said they really liked how I played and liked how I was tough and powerful on the field and they said that they could find a spot for me on the team,” Register said.
On Friday, Register will camp at South Carolina. Later this summer, he’ll head to Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech for camp.
Six days later: Almost a week to the day after his first visit to Clemson, 2018 offensive tackle Will Lawrence (Memphis-Harding Academy) returned for camp.
The 6-6, 277-pound rising sophomore camped at Clemson on Wednesday.
“I like the way Coach Caldwell coaches offensive line technique. I definitely think he’s a coach who could help me reach my potential,” Lawrence said.
Along with Clemson, which offered during last Thursday’s visit, Lawrence has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, UNC, Ohio State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC and West Virginia.
Offer total: According to the count by TheClemsonInsider, 11 camp offers went out this week.
2016: 2
2017: 3
2018: 6
At least five were for the defensive side of the ball: 2016 cornerback, 2017 safety, 2018 defensive end, 2018 linebacker and 2017 linebacker.
Two offensive linemen were offered (2016 and 2018). There was also one quarterback (2018), one tight end (2017) and two athletes (2018) that received offers.
Ten of the offers went to prospects from South Carolina (five) and Georgia (five). The first camp offer (2016 cornerback Kyle Meyers) is from Louisiana.