CLEMSON — When Clemson cranks up fall camp in the first week of August, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney cannot wait to see how much first-year quarterback Tait Reynolds has progressed.

In the Spring, Reynolds opened camp as the fifth quarterback on the depth chart, but by the time the Tigers were on spring break, roughly eight days into practice, it became obvious the Queen Creek, Ariz., native was at Clemson to compete.

Reynolds went from No. 5 on the depth chart to No. 2 when Clemson got back from spring break. Over the last seven practices he received exclusive work with the second-team offense and was even getting some reps with the first team.

“One of the reasons he came [to school] early and didn’t play baseball was because he wanted to compete for the job,” Swinney said. “Had he stayed and played high school baseball, he probably would have been drafted. So, he’s probably not playing at Clemson next year.

“I mean, he’s an amazing athlete. Y’all will see him. He doesn’t look like a freshman, and he’s got elite arm talent.”

A dual-sport athlete, Reynolds was named as 2024 Player of the Year in Arizona by the Arizona Cardinals.

“You know, he’s the only offensive guy in his family,” Swinney said.

As a high school quarterback, Reynolds led his team to a seven-win improvement as a junior in 2024, completing 156-of-252 passes (61.9 percent) for 2,238 yards with 22 touchdowns and only five interceptions as Queen Creek went 10-3 and earned a berth in the 6A semifinals.

He also rushed 137 times for 1,426 yards (10.4 avg.) and 19 touchdowns that year enroute to being named by as the state’s Player of the Year. He collected player of the year honors for the region and state and was an Arizona Republic first-team honoree as well.

“His whole family are football players. He’s been a baseball-football guy forever,” Swinney said. “He pulled his hamstring his senior year, but this guy’s an elite athlete. Dad was a linebacker, brother’s a linebacker.

“His sister is one of the greatest softball players in the country. They’re a big-time athletic family, but he’s a baller. He’s about his business all the time. Very mature kid. I’m proud of what he’s done to this point. I look forward to watching him continue to compete.”

Reynolds will head into fall camp at the Tigers’ No. 2 quarterback, behind redshirt junior and fourth-year player Christopher Vizzina. Both Swinney and Chad Morris have said Vizzina will go into camp as the starter, but he has not won the job and that it will be a true competition to see who will be the Tigers’ next starting quarterback.