One of the top players in the Palmetto State officially signed with Clemson last week.

Four-star safety Kentavion “Polo” Anderson was the only safety the Tigers signed out of high school. At one time, Clemson had three players committed at the position, but lost two of those to decommitments.

Anderson is a local product, joining the Tigers from nearby Dorman High School. Rivals considers him one of the Top 70 players in the class, regardless of position, and the service also ranks him as the fifth-best safety in the class.

“Polo, he is unique,” head coach Dabo Swinney said during his signing day press conference. “He is a hard guy to kind of put in a box and say this is what he is.”

Anderson is also a track star, running a 4.3 forty-yard dash, and that kind of speed is something the Tigers have lacked on the backend of the defense. However, his abilities go much deeper than how fast he can run. He also plays physical and has proven to be extremely effective against the run.

“He is a very unique athlete,” Swinney repeated. “He has great length. I don’t want to say he is Ashton Hampton, but he is Ashton Hampton in the way that he’s got unique skill sets for his position.”

Anderson had more than two dozen offers, including Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Michigan and South Carolina. In the end, though, this was an in-state battle between the Tigers and the Gameocks. Clemson would come out on top when Anderson committed back in May.

With safety being an obvious need for Clemson on the defensive side of the ball, Anderson is likely to see the field sooner rather than later.

“Size, speed, athleticism,” Swinney said. “Can do, I think, three or four different type jobs within the structure of our defense. I think he’s got a chance to help us early.”

Photo by Bart Boatwright