CLEMSON — Clemson played host to a 5-star talent on Saturday.
2028 CB Langston Pridgeon (Stone Bridge, VA) made his first visit to campus on Saturday, coming away impressed by the atmosphere inside Death Valley and the program in general.
“The visit went great, it was a really great game,” Pridgeon told The Clemson Insider. “It went down to the last couple of minutes of the fourth quarter. It was really electric.”
During the visit, Pridgeon got to see most everything the football program has to offer student-athletes.
“I got to tour the facilities, see the meeting rooms, the weight room, it was really cool to see,” Pridgeon said. “I think Clemson might be the biggest weight room of all the schools I have been to. I also got to see the training room and the recovery rooms. It was top-notch.”
On top of that, the 6-foot-2 corner also got a glimpse at what Clemson has to offer off the field, including a taste of the culture inside the program.
“Clemson is not only focused on getting the best football players, but also developing great men,” Pridgeon added. “We spoke about PAW Journey, and that really spoke to me. I not only want to be the best football player but also the best man I can be off the field.”
Pridgeon also got some facetime with the corners coach, Mike Reed, and the relationship between the two has gotten off to the right start.
“He seems like a very genuine coach,” he said. “Very focused on the development of the players. He seemed like a very down-to-earth coach and focused on getting the best out of all of his players.”
Pridgeon ranks No. 30 overall in the 247 Composite Rankings and No. 2 among all cornerbacks in his class. He is already getting close to the 20-offer mark, with Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Indiana and Vanderbilt being just a few of the schools that have gotten in early.
Before his Clemson visit over the weekend, he was in South Bend visiting Notre Dame. He’s also made game-day stops at Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Rutgers and Texas A&M.
Being a 2028 recruit, though, Pridgeon is still extremely early in the process, and his first trip to Clemson hit the mark. Despite the fact that the Tigers are in the midst of what looks like Dabo Swinney’s worst season, the blue-chip talent still likes what he saw. The disappointing season hasn’t chenged his view of the program at all.
“It seems like the players have bought into (Swinney’s) philosophy,” Pridgeon said. “Even though they are not having a great year, I feel like all the players are still responding and fighting hard to finish the season. I know all the people there are still getting developed. That is how college football goes. Any given Saturday, any team can lose.”
Pridgeon is also fully aware of how the Tigers operate, including the program not offering high school freshmen or sophomores. While that process is vastly different from most other schools, Pridgeon respects it.
“It doesn’t affect me in a negative way,” he said. “I know that is how that process is. When they offer you, they really believe that you can commit to the school and make an impact. I kind of agree with that. A lot of schools make a lot of non-committable offers, but with Clemson, that means they really took the time to really review your film and get to know you as a player. I like that approach.”
When the Tigers do start handing out 2028 offer next June, Pridgeon is hopeful one will come his way.
“It would be great,” Pridgeon said. “I know of the storied history and the national championships under Dabo Swinney. I know the great players that came out of that program. It would mean a lot to get that offer.”
Photo courtesy of Langston Pridgeon on X (formerly known as Twitter)