While out on the recruiting trail last week, CJ Spiller made multiple stops in the state of Florida.

One of those stops was at Edgewater, in Orlando, where Spiller checked in on 2026 QB Carter Emanuel.

“He I told me should come for a visit,” Emanuel told The Clemson Insider. “Just meet everybody. Just continuing to build a relationship.”

Emanuel made his first visit to Clemson last season for the Georgia Tech game and while the 3-star prospect doesn’t yet know the exact date, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound signal caller plans to return in June to work out at a session of Dabo Swinney’s high school camp.

“It more than just about the camp,” he said. “Just to keep building relationships, getting to know the people more.”

The loyalty that Swinney shows to his players is something that has really stood out to Emanuel.

“It’s a school that really focuses on recruiting high school,” Emanuel said. “They haven’t really taken any out of the transfer portal. So, when they show interest, it is real.”

Another thing that stands out is some of the success the Tigers have had with past quarterbacks. Emanuel, who describes himself as a pocket passer that can also use his legs when he needs to, has seen what players like Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence were able to accomplish.

“It’s also been a quarterback friendly offensive scheme,” Emanuel said. “How they used Deshaun Watson while he was there, that is kind of how I could fit in.”

West Virginia, Arkansas, Syracuse and South Florida are some of the schools that Emanuel is hearing from the most. All but Syracuse have offered.

While Clemson won’t start handing out offers to the 2026 class for a few more weeks, an offer from the Tigers is one Emanuel would like to add to the list.

“It would be great,” Emanuel said. “That would mean they really believe in the things that I can do to be great.”

“That’s a school that I know if I went there I wouldn’t want to leave.”