Amare Patterson’s visit to Clemson on Saturday hit the mark.

While his previous times on campus have been memorable, the three-star in-state wideout (Bluffton) learned a whole lot more about Dabo Swinney’s program during the game-day visit.

“The passion the coach has for his program,” Patterson told The Clemson Insider. “The standard they have for their student-athletes.”

On top of the culture standing out, the electric atmosphere inside Death Valley for a Top 10 matchup in primetime also resonated.

“The fan base,” Patterson added. “Plus, the number of former players on staff.”

While the Tigers’ offense had its share of struggles in the season-opening loss to LSU, Patterson maintains that no one visit, regardless of result, will sway his recruitment very much in either direction.

“A lot of teams start out slow,” Patterson said. “I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”

Since coaches were able to start contacting players in the 2027 class directly back in June, Patterson and wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham have been working on building a relationship. While it is still in its early stages, a Sunday text message from Grisham was something Patterson and his family weren’t expecting.

“It was cool before the visit, but I feel much better about it after being there,” Patterson said of the relationship. “It improved a lot. He knows a lot about football. He even texted my pops the morning after the game. That meant a lot to my family.”

Patterson is planning to take several visits during the season. He heads to Florida next weekend. At the same time, his priority is making his junior season one to remember.

While the Tigers have yet to offer, Patterson remains on the radar. So far, Clemson has offered only one receiver in the 2027 class, and when the board eventually expands, Patterson is hoping he gets that call.

“It would mean a lot,” he said. “I think every player would love to have an offer from a school in the state where they live.”

Photo by Bart Boatwright