Montgomery (Ala.) Park Crossing defensive end Khurtiss Perry is one of the top prospects in the country for the 2022 class, and he is high up on Clemson’s recruiting board for that cycle.

The Tigers have not offered any 2022 recruits yet, but head coach Dabo Swinney, defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall and defensive tackles coach Todd Bates let Perry (6-3, 260) know how interested they are in him when he was on campus for the Swinney Football Camp last June.

“They told me that I’m a very good player, I have a hard first and second step, and that I am the best kid in 2022 that they have seen,” Perry told The Clemson Insider.

Hearing that from coaches at a program as prominent as Clemson meant a lot to Perry.

“It made me feel real special,” he said. “That just motivates me to keep going and go harder each and every day. It’s just a blessing.”

Asked what he remembers most about the camp visit to Clemson last summer, Perry said, “How I felt so loved when I entered the doors.”

Montgomery (Ala.) Park Crossing defensive end Khurtiss Perry works out during the Dabo Swinney Football Camp in Clemson Thursday, June 13, 2019. Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider

Perry plans to return to Clemson, and is looking to visit several other schools as well, after the NCAA ends the recruiting dead period, which is in effect through at least May 31.

“Clemson, for sure,” Perry said when asked which trips he plans to make. “Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Oklahoma … There’s a lot of schools I want to check out. Michigan State, Michigan … There’s a lot of schools.”

Although Perry doesn’t yet have an offer from Clemson, he feels it is one of the schools showing him the most love in the early going.

“Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Ohio State, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State,” he listed. “There’s a couple more.”

According to Perry, he is “just enjoying the process” right now and does not have any favorites, but Clemson would “most definitely” be one of his top schools if it pulls the trigger on an offer.

Perry says whichever program he decides to play for will not only be getting a great football player, but also a great teammate and person of high character off the field.

“They’re going to be getting a very respectful young man, a church guy, a guy that loves God, a guy that is going to be on time with everything, a guy that is going to make sure he’s leading the right way, picking up the next guy, making sure that his teammates are doing the right thing each and every moment. Just lead the right way, be a leader, be a great guy.”

Perry is ranked as the No. 4 strong-side defensive end and No. 45 overall prospect in the early 247Sports rankings for the 2022 class.

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