In what has vecome a familiar theme for Clemson recruiting of late, things are trending in the wrong direction for the Tigers with one of their top two running back targets.
Four-star Andrew Beard (Prince Avenue Christian, GA) will announce a commitment on Friday at 4 p.m. and the finalists are Clemson, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.
After not making Beard’s original list of finalists late last year, Clemson offered in January and quickly gained some traction. Beard visited twice in the spring and has been scheduled to be at the big official visit weekend, May 29-31.
Beard announcing last week that he was ready to shut it down caught many off guard. He was expected to give each of the finalists an official. However, the blue-chip back has decided he’s ready to lock down a spot.
“They are filling up fast,” Beard told The Clemson Insider. “With the transfer portal, it is just so crazy in college football right now. So, I want to go somewhere that I am really locked in and where I am comfortable in that decision.”
While the Tigers were absolutely able to make themselves a credible contender, after speaking with multiple sources, I fully expect Beard to end up elsewhere. Florida could very well end up being the destination, but Tennessee is also making a late push. For what it’s worth, Georgia already has two running backs committed in the class, including five-star Kemon Spell, who most consider to be the top back in the class.
Either way, that would leave Clemson still in need of a running back in this class. After missing on several in the last recruiting cycle and ultimately electing not to sign one, the Tigers need a quality back in this class. Yes, Chris Johnson was added via the transfer portal, but in this era, there is no guarantee he is back in 2027. He’s already at his third school in four years.
Four-star Gary Walker (Creekside, GA) is still on the board, and if, as expected, Beard heads elsewhere, he would be the only running back currently scheduled to give Clemson an official. Although that could change between now and then. Three-star Carter Wallace is one back the staff has kept in contact with.
At the end of the day, this would be the kind of miss that stings, especially if Beard ends up at Florida. The Gators have already won a couple of recruiting battles over the Tigers in recent weeks, with four-star OL Peyton Miller and Elijah Hutcheson both pledging to Florida.
