Catching up with Malik Herring
By: hale-mcgranahan April 25, 2016

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Four-star defensive end Malik Herring made a proclamation on Twitter that left folks in Clemson and Athens scrambling.

But there was a catch to the tweet that was issued last Monday night.

A day later, four-star offensive lineman Netori Johnson committed to Georgia’s 2017 class a day later.

“I was talking about Netori the whole time,” Herring said.

For the junior from Mary Persons High School in Forsyth, Ga., there’s no telling when a decision will be reached.

“Commit watch is wishy-washy for Malik Herring,” he said. “Commit watch was the end of the season, now it changed to probably the summertime, now it went back to the season — I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

Clemson, Georgia, USC, Alabama, Florida, Michigan and Tennessee continue to receive consideration.

“I wish I could visit Tennessee more and I’ve got to get out to USC,” Herring said. “Just talking to the coaches on the phone, that’s good to know. I really want to see what the campus looks like.”

Clemson and Georgia have hosted him several times over the last several months. In addition to last year’s visit for the Boston College game, Herring was in Clemson for the January Junior Day and again earlier this month for the Orange and White spring game.

While most folks on the outside would assume the Tigers and Dawgs are the top two contenders, Herring asserted that isn’t necessarily the case.

“That’s why you should never be on the outside looking in,” he said. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

But Herring did admit that both school are “tough on me.”

Several factors will be considered as he moves through the process of making a decision.

“Really just coaching staff, facility, first impressions on the coaches,” Herring said. “I love a school with a crazy fan-base.”