The Clemson Insider takes a look ahead at Clemson’s top cornerback targets in the 2018 class:
Clemson first-team All-ACC cornerback Cordrea Tankersley is headed to the NFL after graduating, but the Tigers will be deep and talented at the position next season.
Marcus Edmond, Ryan Carter and Adrian Baker will be redshirt seniors, Mark Fields will be a junior and Trayvon Mullen will be a sophomore. Clemson will add a couple of corners on signing day in Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake five-star A.J. Terrell and Roswell (Ga.) four-star LeAnthony Williams.
Here are the biggest names at corner we’re tracking in the 2018 class:
Myles Sims, Atlanta, Ga. (Westlake):
We’ll start with Terrell’s four-star teammate at Westlake High, who has racked up offers of late. Sims, rated by Rivals as the No. 63 overall player in his class and the No. 9 corner, has received offers from seven schools in January alone including ones from Florida, LSU, Ohio State and Tennessee. The long and physical 6-foot-3, 170-pounder already held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Stanford among others. Clemson offered in May, and Sims visited in June. He plans to get back on campus this offseason with Terrell, who he said is in his ear often about the Tigers. Sims told TCI during a recent interview that Michigan, Stanford, Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon and Alabama are some of the schools he hopes to see moving forward.
Derrik Allen, Marietta, Ga. (Lassiter):
Allen, a five-star prospect who owns over 30 offers, narrowed his recruitment in December when he announced Clemson, Cal, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State as the schools he will focus on and evaluate going forward. Clemson was one of the first schools to offer Allen when it pulled the trigger in June 2015, and it is one of those recruiting him the hardest. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables paid Allen a visit in December, and the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder will be back on campus this weekend for Clemson’s Elite Junior Day. Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame and Florida State are several of the schools he has heard the most from. Allen, a top-40 prospect nationally and top-five corner according to both 247Sports and Rivals, is eyeing a commitment date before is senior season.
Anthony Cook, Houston, Texas (Lamar):
Clemson offered Cook, a top-40 overall prospect and the No. 1 prospect in Texas per Rivals, in May. The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder’s list of more than 30 offers features Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and Southern Cal. Cook visited Clemson in July, when he toured the facilities with defensive backs coach Mike Reed and saw Death Valley for the first time. Cook told TCI after that he loved Death Valley and “will definitely consider Clemson.” Clemson, Ohio State and Texas are a few schools pursuing him the hardest.
Patrick Surtain Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (American Heritage):
Surtain Jr., the son of former Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs corner Patrick Surtain, is the consensus No. 1 corner nationally in the 2018 class. His loaded offer sheet of 30-plus schools is highlighted by Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Ohio State and others. Surtain Jr. told ESPN in October that LSU, Alabama, Clemson, Miami, Florida State and Ohio State were his top schools at the time and that he planned to commit during his senior season. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder will be on Clemson’s campus this weekend for Junior Day.
Christian Tutt, Thomson, Ga. (Thomson):
Tutt, also a five-star prospect, is another to watch. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan and Notre Dame to name some. Clemson offered Tutt in May 2015, and he last visited Clemson for the Tigers’ game against Florida State in 2015. In late August, Tutt listed Clemson, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Southern Cal, Texas A&M and UCLA as his top 11 schools. In December, Tutt told TCI that Clemson and Ohio State were two of the schools standing out to him. Reed has visited Tutt’s school a couple of times, and Tutt said he plans to take one of his official visits to Clemson. He is fond of Reed and Clemson’s defensive scheme.