Almost a year to the day after committing to Clemson, Matt Bockhorst sealed the deal when he signed his national letter of intent Wednesday.
The 4.0 student and four-star offensive lineman from St. Xavier High in Cincinnati, Ohio is Clemson’s first signee from the state since Dublin native Cole Stoudt in 2011.
“It is such an awesome feeling of relief and excitement,” Bockhorst said of signing during a recent interview with The Clemson Insider. “Few people realize the tax the recruiting process can take on a high school kid, but I am also very, very grateful to have this opportunity that many kids could only dream of.”
Bockhorst became the fifth member of Clemson’s 14-man 2017 class after pledging on Jan. 30, 2016.
The class is highly ranked at 10th nationally by ESPN, 16th by 247Sports, 22nd by Rivals and 26th by Scout despite the small size relative to other teams in the same range. Its 3.86 average star rating per Rivals is fourth in the country behind only Alabama (4.11), Ohio State (4.1) and Stanford (3.93).
When it comes to Clemson, though, Bockhorst says class ratings don’t tell the whole story.
“This class is special,” Bockhorst said. “I know people will look at Alabama or Ohio State and say that their classes far outweigh ours. Maybe on paper, but I think people forget that football is a team sport, and as 18- and 19-year-old guys stepping on a college campus for the first time, we will be there for each other.
“When we are all going through those first summer workouts, we will be there to pick each other up. In my opinion, that is what a quality recruiting class looks like.”
Bockhorst is a top-250 prospect by most of the major recruiting services and the No. 157 overall prospect according to ESPN. Prior to suffering a torn ACL over the summer that caused him to miss his senior season, Bockhorst was a first-team all-state selection as a junior in 2015 and received an invitation to the Under Armour All-American game.
One of three offensive linemen in Clemson’s class, Bockhorst played mostly tackle for St. Xavier but projects as a guard at the next level. He’s brings a physical presence and also has the athleticism to pull and pave the way outside.
His should be fully recovered from his injury by the time fall camp starts in August, and he’s excited to flip the page to the next stage of his life at Clemson.
“Just being on campus and starting the next chapter of my life,” Bockhorst said of what he’s most looking forward to. “There is so much excitement around this University and program, and I’m ready to contribute to the continuation of that success.
“I have had a great high school experience at St. Xavier and I am forever indebted to those who have guided me these past four years, but at the same time a big part of me is looking forward to what lies ahead and getting a fresh start. By that time my knee will be healthy and I will have the opportunity to meet a lot of great people.”
With his recruiting process in the rearview, Bockhorst can turn his complete attention to the future as he continues rehabbing and preparing to make a difference for Clemson at the next level.
“Now, now it is time to play football,” Bockhorst said. “At the end of the day, every person who signed yesterday is going to go into fall camp in about six months, and people will be exposed. That is what I’m most excited about. No more fluff. It’s all football.”
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