Several years back, Clemson broke the heart of a young Fletcher Turk. Earlier this month, the Tigers had the older Turk crying tears of joy.

Growing up, Turk rooted for Alabama. When the Tigers knocked off the Tide in the closing seconds of the 2016 national title game, he felt what any fan would in that situation.

However, Turk now sees the Clemson program in a different light. The Tigers have been recruiting the three-star offensive lineman going back several months now, and about two weeks ago, Turk officially picked up an offer from Clemson. This time, there were tears of joy.

“One of a kind,” Turk told The Clemson Insider. “To be honest, I did cry. Growing up, Clemson was always a school that everyone looked at. I remember when Hunter Renfrow broke my heart because I was an Alabama fan. Out of the slot, on the goal line, just killing us. Players like Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, I am just very blessed to get an offer from them.”

During the first contact period back in January, offensive line coach Matt Luke went and watched one of Turk’s high school basketball games. Turk then visited Clemson for the first time ever during the spring, taking in one of the Tigers’ practices.

Luke has already been back to visit him once during the current contact period and is scheduled to make a return visit on Monday.

“My relationship with coach Luke, even before the offer, was great,” Turk added. “I just felt like it was so natural and so honest. They are the standard.”

It’s currently Clemson and Georgia Tech at the top of the board for the 6-foot-6, 280-pound recruit out of Hebron Christian (Dacula, GA). UCF, Wake Forest and Michigan State all offered in March. Since he announced his offer from Clemson, both Georgia and Florida have offered.

“It feels good. Everyone seeing my work,” Turk said. “I mean, I worked my butt off in silence for like three years straight. And I wasn’t expecting anything. When I got into high school, I didn’t even know I could go play college football. I didn’t know I could get a scholarship. God tells us to work, so that is what I did. Obviously, there were bumps in the road where I was worrying about offers and worrying about attention, but now I look back and realize I was just being an idiot. I just realized I should trust God more, put all my faith in Him, and wherever He takes me, I am going to go.”

Turk is set to take an official visit to Tech at the end of the month, which conflicts with Clemson’s big official visit weekend from May 30 to June 2. Dabo Swinney generally only hosts officials that one weekend each June, but in this case, an exception is being made for Turk. He is set to take an official visit to Clemson beginning June 19.

With his recruitment just now starting to take off, Turk doesn’t really have a timeline for wanting to have a decision made. He was once considering a summer decision, but there’s a distinct possibility this one could now go into the fall.

There is one thing he does know, though, and that is what it is he is looking for in a college destination. Unlike a lot of kids in the NIL era, Turk is more heavily focused on fit as opposed to who might write the biggest check.

“I’m looking for that feeling, you know what I mean? That feeling like home. That feeling you can’t get from anywhere else,” Turk said. “I’m not chasing a bag. I’m not chasing money. I feel like wherever God leads me, that’s where we go. But I’m not like these guys nowadays, when they’re chasing money and all that. That’s not who I am. That’s not who my parents raised me to be. I want to be at a school because I want to be there. Not because of money or because someone else wants me there.”