Looking Ahead: 2018 WR

The Clemson Insider continues its “Looking Ahead” series with a forward look at Clemson’s top wide receiver targets in the 2018 class.

After losing Charone Peake to the NFL at the conclusion of the 2015 season, Clemson signed a trio of stalwarts at receiver in February: Plant City (Fla.) four-star T.J. Chase, Greensboro (N.C.) Page four-star Diondre Overton and Greenville (N.C.) Rose four-star Cornell Powell.

The three players will join what is arguably the nation’s deepest and most gifted group of wideouts in Mike Williams, Artavis Scott, Hunter Renfrow, Deon Cain, Ray-Ray McCloud and Trevion Thompson.

There are no seniors in the aforementioned group, though Williams is likely to enter the NFL Draft after his redshirt junior season. Scott could declare early for the Draft, as well.

Oak Ride (Tenn.) five-star Tee Higgins and Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic four-star Amari Rodgers are committed to Clemson for the 2017 class.

The Clemson Insider believes the Tigers are one-or-done at wide receiver in the current cycle, meaning they will either sign priority wide receiver target OrTre Smith or stand pat until 2018.

As for 2018, here are the biggest names we’re keeping tabs on:

 

Brian Hightower – Bradenton, Fla.

Hightower holds over 30 offers, including one from Clemson. The four-star from IMG Academy is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 11 player in Florida, the nation’s No. 4 wide receiver and the nation’s No. 41 player overall. Hightower visited Clemson on July 13. After the visit, Clemson 2018 linebacker commitment Mike Jones, a teammate of Hightower, told The Clemson Insider that Hightower loved the visit. Four-star running back Jamal Elliott, another teammate of Hightower who visited Clemson at the same time, told TCI after the visit that he believed Clemson to be Hightower’s top school. The Tigers appear to be in really good shape with Hightower right now.

Jacob Copeland – Pensacola, Fla.

Copeland is another touted wideout rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 10 player in Florida, the nation’s No. 3 wide receiver and the nation’s No. 39 player overall. Clemson offered Copeland on May 5. On June 12, Copeland announced that his top 10 schools in alphabetical order are Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan and Mississippi State. Copeland most recently visited Florida on July 22, Florida State on July 21 and Auburn on July 15.

Derion Kendrick – Rock Hill, S.C.

Kendrick is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 3 player in South Carolina, the nation’s No. 7 wide receiver and the nation’s No. 68 player overall. Clemson offered Kendrick on June 10, 2015. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder from South Pointe also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, N.C. State, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Wisconsin. Kendrick attended the first session of the Dabo Swinney Football Camp in June, when he was one of the standouts among the A group of receivers. Kendrick also visited Clemson in March for Junior Day. At The Opening Charlotte regional in April, Kendrick told TCI he felt at home while talking to Clemson’s coaching staff during Junior Day.

Jahan Dotson – Hightstown, N.J.

Dotson is a teammate of Clemson 2017 offensive line commitment Noah DeHond at The Peddie School. Dotson is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 2 player in New Jersey, the nation’s No. 5 wide receiver and the nation’s No. 54 player overall. The 6-foot, 160-pounder last visited Clemson on June 18. A few weeks after the visit, Dotson told TCI that Clemson “is definitely a top school” in his recruitment, citing Clemson’s history of success at the position, the new football complex that is being built and the coaching staff. Dotson has visited Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State since the Clemson trip.

Demarcus Gregory – Duncan, S.C.

Gregory does not yet have an offer from Clemson, but he has offers from Appalachian State, Charlotte, East Carolina, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina, N.C. State, Old Dominion, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Wake Forest. The Byrnes standout most recently visited South Carolina for the Gamecocks’ cookout before visiting Ole Miss the following week. Gregory attended the first session of the Dabo Swinney Camp in June. At the Byrnes 7-on-7 in July, Gregory told TCI he anticipates Clemson co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jeff Scott coming to watch him during the season, and he remains hopeful an offer from the Tigers will come. As it stands now, South Carolina is in a good position with Gregory, in part because of his relationship with South Carolina coach Bobby Bentley.

Armani Chatman – Virginia Beach, Va.

Chatman is another name to look out for. The Virginia Beach-Bayside product does not currently have an offer from Clemson, but he is visiting the school today with teammate and five-star Virginia Beach-Bishop Sullivan linebacker Teradja Mitchell. Chatman owns offers from N.C. State, Rutgers and Virginia Tech.