Dabo Swinney and the Tigers are putting their final touches on the 2024 class, and now their focus with the group turns to building a deeper connection. At the 12th All-In Cookout, Clemson hosted commits to continue those efforts on a personal level.

Four-star defensive lineman Champ Thompson was one of the commits able to make the trip for the cookout. The Norcross (Ga.) standout committed to the Tigers back in January and he told The Clemson Insider all about the experience getting closer with the Clemson family and his fellow commits.

“The cookout was great, I had an amazing time,” Thompson said. “It was like a family game night type of vibe. We played jeopardy, dodgeball and home run derby.”

The word “family” comes up constantly in the Tigers’ program and it’s a culture that Swinney has cultivated since taking the reins 15 years ago. 2024’s batch of commitments has already shown their connection on social media, very vocal about their interest in other high school prospects and recruiting them to Clemson.

With the cycle drawing closer to the finish line, it’s time for the group to grow closer together and Thompson talked about what it meant to see the group together in-person.

“It’s always good to see the guys and chop it up with them and just bond and have shared experiences,” Thompson said.

The future Tigers defensive lineman is appreciative of the Clemson culture and the cookout was the latest example of that. While it obviously matters to him off the field, he says that bond translates heavily on the field and it’ll pay dividends once he’s taking the field in Death Valley.

“That means everything to me and when you’re on a team with a connection like that and everyone is on the same page, it’s hard to be stopped,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Champ Thompson on Twitter (@iam_champ7)

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