A couple of prominent Clemson dads – former NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking, the father of true freshman tight end Logan Brooking, and Super Bowl Champion running back Brandon Jacobs, the father of true freshman offensive lineman Brayden Jacobs – were featured on the latest episode of Clemson Football’s official podcast, 2 Right Turns.

In a segment of the episode, Brandon reflected on when Brayden knew he wanted to be a Clemson Tiger.

As a unanimous four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, ranked as the nation’s No. 55 overall prospect by 247Sports, Brayden had plenty of college options but chose Clemson over LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina, among many others.

“We barely ever went to any other schools. Brayden had 35 offers,” Brandon said. “We went to Columbia. We went there to a game, and we went to UCF for a game, went to Alabama for a game. We didn’t do a whole bunch of junior days for different schools and stuff like that.

“Once he came to Clemson, it was over. He was like, ‘I really like it there. I really like it there.’ So [I said] OK, ‘Give me your top three schools.’ He was like, Clemson, LSU, Alabama and Tennessee was in it at the point, so he went top five, with South Carolina. I’m like, ‘OK, so what are you thinking?’ He was like, ‘I think I’m going to Clemson.’”

Brayden traveled to Tiger Town for Clemson’s elite junior day on Jan. 27, 2024, and that’s the weekend when he pulled the trigger on his commitment to the Tigers – despite the fact that his mother wasn’t with him and his father on the visit.

 “‘Clemson is where I want to be, and I know my mom isn’t here, but I think I want to commit today,’” Brandon recalled Brayden telling him.

“I’m like, ‘Your mother isn’t here, man, this is a big deal.’ I said, ‘Call her and tell her. I’m with it, I’m down for it.’ He called her and was like, ‘Hey, I think I’m done with this recruiting thing, I think Clemson is the place for me.’ Over at Coach Swinney’s house, he committed right there.”

Once he committed, Brayden was unwavering in his conviction about choosing Clemson.

Although other schools and coaches tried to sway Brayden away from Clemson, he never second-guessed his decision. He enrolled early this past January and remains perfectly happy with his college choice.

“Everybody trying to discourage him from coming, all these other coaches had all this bad stuff to say, and he kept his head down and he just stayed focused on Clemson,” Brandon said. “Teams were really telling him, like, ‘You don’t want to go there, they don’t do the transfer portal’ – which to us, was a plus. The kid loves Clemson. Today right now, I can call him and ask him, ‘Do you have any regrets about your choice?’ ‘No, it’s been great here.’”

Not only did the Tigers win Brayden over during the recruiting process, but his father as well.

Brandon discussed what he has seen at Clemson he hasn’t anywhere else.

“The thing I like about Clemson more than any other school that I’ve been a part of and I’ve seen how the recruiting process works – Clemson is the same after signing as they are before signing. They treat you the same. There’s no difference,” said Brandon, a two-time Super Bowl champ who amassed more than 5,000 rushing yards in his nine-year NFL career, primarily with the New York Giants.

“Coach Swinney won’t ever walk by me, unless he’s in a rush, without saying something to me. Coach Luke won’t ever walk by me unless they got somewhere to go. And they’ll still acknowledge you and turn around backwards on the way to where they’re going and still talk to you. So, it’s been the same here in Clemson. I wish, as a football player, growing up, I wish I could have had an opportunity as a player to be playing at a place like this.” You can check out the full 2RightTurns episode with the two NFL dads below: