We’re over a week into the month of July and the start of preseason camp is within shouting distance. Unfortunately, real, live college football is still several weeks away.

As the dog days of summer roll on, TheClemsonInsider continues its look back at the recruitment of several of Clemson’s returning players.

LB [autotag]Kendall Joseph[/autotag], Belton – RS Freshman

Clemson offered Joseph in March of 2013. Brent Venables delivered the message, shortly after Joseph was on campus to watch a spring practice scrimmage.

The three-star linebacker out of Belton-Honea Path already had four by the time Clemson got into the mix: UCLA, Louisville, Appalachian State and Furman.

Joseph was back in Clemson month later for the Orange and White spring game.

By May, Georgia Tech and Duke offered. Both schools, along with Louisville, hosted him for spring visits. Joseph returned to Clemson and Duke in June, just before his scheduled announcement at BHP.

The Blue Devils were in position to score his commitment. In fact, Joseph contacted Venables the night before, to tell him that Clemson wasn’t going to be the choice.

“We talked for about an hour,” Joseph said. “(Venables) talked to me for a long time about certain stuff. After that, it kind of made me question my decision when I talked to my uncle and my grandfather.

“I just felt like Clemson was the best place for me, overall. The overall experience of college and what I was going to get out of it, I felt like Clemson was the best place for me.”

Joseph remained firm with his commitment to Clemson, before signing in February of 2014.