The first poll for this year’s College Football Playoff is out and Clemson perched atop the rankings at No. 1, ahead of LSU, Ohio State and Alabama.
TheClemsonInsider reached out to several of Clemson’s 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 commitments for an answer to the question: What do you think about Clemson’s spot in those playoff rankings?
Here’s what they said:
2016
“It’s great. Can’t argue with No. 1.”
– DB Myles Dorn (Charlotte-Vance)
“I’m loving it.”
– WR Diondre Overton (Greensboro-Page)
“I knew they would be No. 1. They deserve it. Coach Dabo has been working the right way.”
– OL Tremayne Anchrum Jr. (Powder Springs, Ga. – McEachern)
2017
“They need to be the No. 1 team.”
– DB Meshael Custis (Hampton, Ga. – Lovejoy)
“The team is extremely deserving of their ranking. They are still undefeated so far this season and won a lot of games against top competition by a good margin, and in some cases shut them out.”
– DE Yetur Matos (Fredericksburg, Va. – Chancellor)
“I believe that’s where they should be. They have earned it. They have played like the No. 1 team in the nation every week. They finally get the spot they deserve.”
– OL Jonathon MacCollister (Orlando-Bishop Moore)
“They deserve it.”
– DB DeAngelo Gibbs (Peachtree Ridge, Ga.)
“That’s big.”
– WR James Robinson (Lakeland, Fla.)
“They deserve it, man. They are playing very solid.”
– WR J.T. Cauthen (Waxhaw, N.C.)
“I think they’ve got to feel comfortable in that No. 1 spot. Clemson is a confident, young and experienced football team all in one. And since I’m being recruited by them, to see them at No. 1. Kind of shocked how far Michigan State is, too.”
– QB Chase Brice (Loganville, Ga. – Grayson)
“Excited. They deserve it.”
– DE Malik Herring (Forsyth, Ga. – Mary Persons)
“They deserve it.”
– S Devon Hunter (Chesapeake, Va. – Indian River)
“I think it’s incredible and definitely well-deserved. They’re playing the best right now for sure.”
– S Stuart Head (Woodstock, Ga. – Etowah)
“I’m liking it right now. Very impressed by their season.
– LB Jordan Anthony (IMG Academy)
“That’s good. They have earned it.”
– RB Colin Wison (Green Cove Springs, Fla. – Clay)
“It’s crazy, man. I just want the best for the team, because I know how hard these guys work and I also want the best for Dabo and his staff.”
– CB Trajan Bandy (Miami-Columbus)
“Crazy. Mind boggling. I can’t wait to be back in Death Valley.”
– WR Keyshawn Johnson Jr. (Calabasas, Calif.)
“I agree 100 percent.”
– LB Chandler Wooten (Kennesaw, Ga. – North Cobb)
“Can’t be better than 1.”
– OL Eric Douglas (Charlotte-Mallard Creek)
“I think it’s well-deserved and it’s a true reflection of the coaching staff and they culture they have going there. Clemson’s got something special going on. It’s still early in the season, when it comes to those rankings, but it should be interesting to see how they battle through the rest of the season, to possibly earn a spot in the playoff. I believe they can.”
– OL Matt Bockhorst (Cincinnati-St. Xavier)
“Agree with it. They’ve been looked dominant in pretty much all their games. I’m actually really pleased with the rankings. I agree with them, as far as top-four.”
– OL Trey Smith (Jackson, Tenn. – University School)
“It’s awesome. They just have to take care of business from here and beat FSU on Saturday night.”
– OL Blake Vinson (Winter Garden, Fla. – North Marion)
“They deserve it.”
– OL Andrew Thomas (Atlanta-Pace Academy)
“They completely earned it.”
– DB William Poole III (Atlanta-Hapeville Charter)
2018
“I think they should be No. 1 because they’ve played the best competition of anybody in the country. And they beat Miami so bad they fired their coach.”
– LB Dax Hollifield (Shelby, N.C.)
“It’s pretty accurate. It could one by one or two teams in my book.””I feel like that’s where they should be, by the way they’ve been playing.”
– OL Jamaree Salyer (Atlanta-Pace Academy)
“I feel like that’s where they should be, by the way they’re playing.”
– DB Tyson Campbell (Plantation, Fla.-Heritage)
“Really good. They deserve it. They are overall the best college program in the nation, in my opinion.”
– DE Xavier Thomas (Florence-Wilson)
“I think it’s great. Very deserved. I can’t wait to be there this weekend.”
– OL Will Lawrence (Harding Academy of Memphis)
2019
“Awesome. They deserve it.”
– LB Owen Pappoe (Loganville, Ga.-Grayson)