ACC media days have come and gone and the dog days of summer are upon us. Now, we’re just a couple of weeks from the start of preseason camp.

TheClemsonInsider continues its look back at the recruitment of several of [autotag]Clemson[/autotag]’s returning players. Included in this Back When feature are more of the offensive and defensive linemen.

OL [autotag]Joe Gore[/autotag], Lake Waccamaw, N.C. – RS Senior

Before Gore committed, his list of choices was narrowed down to Clemson, South Carolina, Duke and N.C. State. Clemson made the cut before he even visited the campus.

His first trip to Tigertown was on a Sunday afternoon in June of 2010, before the start of his senior year at East Columbus High School. He committed to play defensive end for the Tigers before heading back home.

OL [autotag]Eric Mac Lain[/autotag], Hope Mills, N.C. – RS Senior

Mac Lain, who spent nine years of his life in Knoxville, first committed to Tennessee when Phil Fulmer was head coach. Lane Kiffin honored the pledge when he took over the program. Things changed when Derek Dooley was brought in after Kiffin bolted for USC. The lack of early interest from Dooley soured Mac Lain, so he decommitted in February of 2010.

Two months later, while in town for his second visit in as many weeks, Mac Lain committed to play tight end at Clemson.

“The family feeling is pretty incredible here. Going to school with a couple of the guys, Dwayne Allen and Miguel Chavis. I really know a lot of people on the team. It feels like a family,” MacLain said. “There’s the opportunity to step in right away and play, while being helped by one of the greatest tight ends in the nation. I think that’s just a good opportunity.”

Clemson scored the 2011 prospect from Jack Britt High School over a number of ACC and SEC programs.

TE [autotag]Milan Richard[/autotag], Savannah, Ga. – RS Freshman

Clemson offered Richard in November of 2012, when he was on campus for the South Carolina game. A number of ACC and SEC programs offered, including South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss, the other three schools that he listed as finalists before committing to Clemson the following May.

“Coach (Jeff) Scott, I have a great relationship with all their coaches, coach (Danny) Pearman, coach (Chad) Morris and coach Swinney, too. We all talk pretty often. Their offense fits me. It’s similar to what we do at our high school and their education is pretty good.”

Richard was a three-star prospect out of Calvary Baptist Day School.

TE [autotag]Stanton Seckinger[/autotag], Isle of Palms – RS Senior

Clemson first offered Seckinger to join the program as a greyshirt. N.C. State and Memphis offered standard scholarships, but Clemson won out.

The Porter-Gaud School wide receiver eventually received a regular offer from Clemson. In November of 2010, during his senior year, Seckinger committed to Clemson. He joined an impressive class of wide receivers, which already included Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant and Adam Humphries.

TE [autotag]Cannon Smith[/autotag], Columbia – RS Freshman

The son of former Clemson standout/current Board of Trustee member Bill Smith, Smith committed to Clemson in July of 2012, during the All-In Cookout.

“I knew, in my heart, I always wanted to go there. It was just an incredible feeling knowing my dream of being a Tiger was going to come true. Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be one of the football players running down the hill and playing in Death Valley. It finally got to come true. I was really thrilled about that.”

Alabama offered after he was committed, but Smith never backed off from his pledge.