Earlier in the contact period, Mike Reed stopped in to visit Brandon Leavell at his high school

During that meeting, the seeds were planted, ultimately leading to Leavell visiting Clemson last weekend. During that visit, the three-star cornerback, out of Goodpasture Christian in Tennessee, officially picked up an offer from the Tigers and quickly set up plans to be at the big official visit weekend, May 29-31. Leavell was originally scheduled to be at Purdue that weekend.

The 6-foot-2 defensive back came away from the visit overly impressed with the Tigers track record of putting players into the NFL during Dabo Swinney’s tenure.

“It was definitely different for the most part from everywhere else I have been,” Leavell told The Clemson Insider. “First off, being able to send guys to the league. Coach Swinney has been there for quite some time, and he has been able to send the most guys to the league than any other coach. That was something I really got to look into and something I would say was very different.”

Some other things also stood out, including the culture in place and Swinney’s emphasis on making sure his players earn their degrees.

“What they have been able to do outside of football,” Leavell added. “As far as alumni that didn’t make it to the NFL being able to come back and provide for the school. And the graduation rate, that was the biggest thing for me.”

Leavell started hearing from Reed a short time before the veteran assistant stopped by his school, and his early impressions are extremely high.

“Really great guy, I have been talking to him even before the visit,” Leavell said. “He visited me at my school a couple of weeks ago. What he has told me and presented to me tells me a lot about his character and his honesty and what he can do for me.”

Leavell is working with five finalists that include Clemson, Tennessee, NC State, Florida State and Florida. All five schools are scheduled to get officials. After that, the young cornerback is looking to have a decision made before the start of his senior year.

While Clemson might have gotten in a little later than the other finalists, Leavell insists the Tigers are still in the hunt.

“Even with them being a little late to the party, I do understand how they recruit,” he said. “Clemson is very different, and I think that is what stands out about them. That is why they are a school that I am very much considering.”

Leavell’s next round of visits will be crucial. He knows the characteristics he’s looking for in a school. Now he just has to find the right fit. And it sure seems like Clemson would check those boxes.

“Development is the key thing,” Leavell said. “Being able to develop me as not only a good football player but a good person outside of the game of football. Obviously, football is going to end, so I want to be able to take what I know from the university that I went to, maybe 15-20 years from now and be able to apply that to my own life and be able to be successful when it is all said and done.”

Photo courtesy of Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider