One of Clemson’s top recruiting targets has made a decision.
Four-star LB Jay Schell (Rabun-Gap, GA) has committed to Oklahoma, The Clemson Insider has confirmed. Clemson was one two finalists.
Schell was Clemson’s most coveted target in the 2028 class, and was the first player in his class to receive an offer. His father, Matt Schell, was a quarterback during the Tommy Bowden era, making the linebacker legacy recruit who grew up around the program. The linebacker began his high school career at nearby Daniel before transferring to Rabun Gap in northern Georgia.
He was in Oklahoma for the Sooners’ 14-6 win over New Mexico on Saturday. The previous weekend, he was in Clemson for the Tigers’ 22-7 victory over Georgia Southern. Those were the blue-chip talents’ two finalists.
While the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder loves Clemson and agonized over the decision, one source tells TCI that Schell just felt drawn to Brent Venables and Oklahoma, feeling like that is where he is supposed to be.
“I love Coach V, Coach Dreiling, Coach Skalski and Coach Wes Goodwin, too,” the linebacker recruit recently told TCI. “They are all great people and the culture is a lot like Clemson’s for obvious reasons. They share a lot of the same stuff. I think Coach Swinney and Coach Venables share a lot of the same cultural beliefs. And I believe a program starts with who is at the top, so I think that is why both are pretty alike. And the development is there with Coach V.”
ESPN ranks the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder No. 97 overall and as the No. 1 linebacker in the country. Rivals ranks him No. 9 among all players at this position.
Through five games, Schell is showing why he is one of the top linebacker prospects in the nation, having already racked up an eye-popping 70 tackles, with five tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, a sack, two passes defended and a fumble recovery.
With Schell heading to Oklahoma, Clemson still has just one player committed in the 2028 class in four-star QB Trace Hawkins. The staff did extend a new linebacker offer over the weekend to four-star Camden Noe, who was on hand for the comeback win over North Carolina.
