CLEMSON — AJ Randle has been a frequent visitor to Clemson over the years.
The 2027 LB (Garner, NC) also has a different perspective than most recruits. Randle’s mother, Nikkie Boyer, is a member of the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame for her accomplishments in women’s track and field. She was a 10-time All-ACC performer and a three-time ACC champion during her time at the school from 1996-1999.
While some of the recruiting services list him as a safety, most schools are looking at him as a linebacker, including Clemson.
“I really enjoyed my time there,” Randle told The Clemson Insider. “They are really shaping my recruitment over to the linebackers, which is fine because I know I am playing there in college. I had a good time. Got to walk down the hill. The atmosphere was electric. And it is always good to win.”
Randle was also on hand for the spring game back in April, and then he worked out at camp in June.
The fact that he and his mother made their return to campus on Hall of Fame weekend made it a little more special.
“My mom enjoyed her time as well,” Randle added. “She said, ‘I have taken you to Clemson all of your life and now you get to take me to Clemson.'”
Randle got to spend some time with linebackers coach Ben Boulware, with the two building on a relationship that stretches back for several months now.
“We got to talk after the game. We talked before the game for about 20-30 minutes,” Randle said. “You can definitely tell he is younger. His energy and his enthusiasm. You can tell he is a player’s coach. Highly energetic. He knows what he is talking about.”
While Randle certainly wasn’t expecting the Tigers to experience the struggles this season has provided, he firmly believes it’s just a bump in the road and that Dabo Swinney will get things turned around.
“It has most definitely been surprising,” Randle said. “Every team has bad seasons. Coach Swinney has been there longer than I have been alive. I know they will eventually put it back together.”
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound prospect has seen his recruitment really heat up this year. Randle already has more than two dozen offers, including Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Tennessee.
On top of the visit to Clemson, he has also taken game-day visits to Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina. Over the next two weeks, he plans to visit Ohio State and Alabama.
The Tigers have been extremely selective when it comes to handing out offers to linebackers in the 2027 class. So far, only four have been extended.
When the board does expand, Randle is hoping he nets one of those offers, seeing as he’s grown up coveting an opportunity to play at the school where his mother is in the Hall of Fame.
“It would mean a lot,” Randle said. “That is my mom’s school. She is a Hall of Famer there. It is all about pedigree and legacy that we already have at Clemson. It would mean a lot for sure.”
Photo by Bart Boatwright