One of the more intriguing guests for this weekend’s Elite Retreat is Asher Ghioto.
It’s not that often a rising high school junior gets an invite to one of the Tigers’ biggest recruiting events of the year, but that is exactly what’s happened here. In fact, Ghioto says he’s the first rising junior to be invited.
The reason for that is simple. The five-star defensive lineman (Bolles, FL) is seriously considering reclassifying to the 2027 recruiting class. It’s something he’s been contemplating for quite some time, and all the pieces are in place if he does indeed decide to make the move. The academic part of it will be challenging, but the highly-touted prospect is willing to put in the work.
However, there is one more hurdle that needs to be crossed. Ghioto isn’t interested in giving up his senior season just to go sit and learn at the college of his choice. That means the deciding factor will be his path towards meaningful playing time.
“Right now, obviously just trying to go through everything and see where I am at with the schools,” Ghioto told The Clemson Insider. “It is going to be really crucial, and it is going to come down to these visits obviously.”
Knowing that, Ghioto’s spring visits will be crucial. He says he will arrive in Clemson late Friday and stay through sometime on Monday, giving him plenty of time to take every detail of the plan the Tigers’ coaching staff has for him if he were to decide to join the 2027 class.
“Using Clemson as an example, if I get there and they are like, ‘You are going to make a bigger impact in the 2027 class, then I will go up to the ’27 class and do that. But if they are like, ‘You will make a bigger impact in the 2028 class,’ then I am going to stay,” Ghioto added.
Ghioto has visited multiple times in the past, with the most recent coming for the season-opener against LSU last season.
Despite only being a rising junior, he feels like he’s starting to develop a strong relationship with defensive ends coach Chris Rumph. Relationships do indeed matter in this recruitment, whether Ghioto decides to sign this December or hold off until December of 2027.
“It has grown a lot, it has been awesome,” Ghioto said. Just really starting to connect with him and build that good relationship. That good foundation where every recruiting foundation starts. So it has been really good. Just getting to know the family, him getting to know my family. Just connecting on more of a personal level and not just a football level. Now, obviously, with the visit coming up, it is going to be awesome while I am there. Because while I am there, it is unlimited communication. That relationship is just going to grow the four days I am there.”
Ghioto was a high school All-American last season. The 6-foot-5, 241-pound prospect was recently timed at 4.68 in the 40-yard dash.
He is currently considered one of the top players in the 2028 class, with Rivals ranking him No. 7 overall and as the No. 2 edge rusher in the class. He also ranks No. 4 in the state of Florida, which is routinely one of the states that produces some of the best high school recruits.
Florida, Miami and Georgia will also get spring visits. Ghioto said he also plans to get to Ohio State, Auburn, Texas, Southern Cal and maybe even Alabama. If he can’t get to all of those in the spring, he will get to them this summer.
What he learns on these visits will have huge implications for his future, and it all starts at Clemson this weekend.
“It will really just depend on where I am at with everything,” Ghioto said. “Where I am at on the board. Like, if they have a heavy senior class and they say I can make a bigger impact now. Because I want to go in and make an immediate impact. I want to be an immediate impact guy and make a difference off the rip. That is what I want to do, and that is what it is going to come down to for me.”
