With National Signing Day less than three weeks away, The Clemson Insider takes a look at Clemson’s recruiting board on offense.
Clemson’s 2017 class is currently comprised of 13 commitments, the program’s smallest number since Dabo Swinney signed his famed “Dandy Dozen” as a first-year head coach in 2009. However, the class is currently rated No. 13 in the country by 247Sports and No. 15 by Rivals.com.
While the class is nearly complete, Clemson could potentially add another signee on Feb. 1.
Here is a position-by-position look at Clemson’s offensive big board ahead of signing day:
QB – Signing (2), Committed (2)
Clemson received pledges from Brownsburg (Ind.) five-star quarterback Hunter Johnson and Loganville (Ga.) Grayson four-star quarterback Chase Brice the week after the Tigers won the 2015 ACC Championship game against North Carolina and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Johnson, the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in his class, is a mid-year enrollee and arrived on campus this week after earning MVP honors at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio on Saturday. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder passed for 6,657 yards and 69 touchdowns in his high school career.
Brice, a top-15 quarterback nationally according to Rivals, 247and ESPN, led Grayson to the Georgia Class 7A state championship this season. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder threw for 2,828 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior while completing 65 percent of his passes. He will arrive on campus in the fall.
Trevor Lawrence, the nation’s No. 1 prospect in the 2018 class, committed to Clemson in December.
RB – Signing (1), Committed (0)
Formerly Clemson’s lone commitment at running back, Memphis (Tenn.) Trezevant four-star Cordarrian Richardson de-committed in December. Having signed just one running back the past two years, and with Wayne Gallman headed to the NFL, Clemson is in the market for a running back to replace Richardson in the class.
It is uncertain who that back might be at this point, but a couple of candidates have emerged recently. One of those is Jennings (La.) four-star running back Travis Etienne, who was offered by Clemson on Thursday. Etienne, the No. 113 prospect in the 2017 ESPN 300, announced in late December that LSU, Texas A&M and LSU were his three finalists. Etienne was committed to Texas A&M for two months before re-opening his recruitment in August. Etienne originally planned to take an official visit to Texas A&M next weekend, but Clemson will get that official instead. Tampa (Fla.) Catholic four-star running back and Auburn commit Devan Barrett is another name we’re keeping tabs on.
WR – Signing (2), Committed (2)
Clemson is set to sign another touted tandem at wide receiver in Tennessee products Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers. Rodgers, a four-star prospect from Knoxville Catholic, was previously committed to Southern Cal — where his dad Tee Martin is the offensive coordinator — before flipping his commitment to Clemson last February. Higgins, a five-star from Oak Ridge, Tenn., committed on July 4. He is the No. 1 receiver in the state and a top-25 player overall. Both Higgins and Rodgers earned Mr. Football honors in their respective classifications this season.
TE – Signing (0)
Clemson has opted not to take a tight end in this class. The Tigers will likely sign a tight end next year. Clemson’s top 2018 target at the position, Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point four-star Mustapaha Muhammad, will be on campus this month.
OL – Signing (3), Committed (3)
Clemson will bring in a talented trio of offensive linemen in Citra (Fla.) North Marion four-star Blake Vinson, Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Xavier four-star Matt Bockhorst and Hightstown (N.J.) Peddie School three-star Noah DeHond. Vinson committed to Clemson in January 2016 and arrived on campus this week as an early enrollee. Bockhorst and DeHond will join Vinson in June.
All of Clemson’s commits with the exception of the four early enrollees who have signed their scholarship papers — Johnson, Vinson, Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern defensive end/linebacker Logan Rudolph and Calhoun (Ga.) linebacker Baylon Spector — are expected to be on campus this weekend for their official visits.