Recruiting is looking good for Tigers
By Scott Keepfer, greenvillenewssc.com
CLEMSON — So what’s the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to recruiting high school athletes?
Facilities?
Solid academics?
An attractive campus?
A winning tradition?
All of the above certainly play a part, but all are merely parts of a young person’s perception of a particular program.
And Clemson’s perception began to change with coach Dabo Swinney’searly recruiting classes that included players such as Da’Quan Bowers, Tajh Boyd and Andre Ellington.
With those players came victories, and with those victories came an improved product in the eyes of many potential recruits.
“The stars started to align, so if you start to win, you enhance your profile and then you enhance the most important thing in all of recruiting — perception,” says Tom Luginbill, a recruiting analyst for ESPN. “Perception is nine-tenths reality, so how a program is perceived by a prospectplays a huge role.” Signing day, meanwhile, is all about reality. When all of those future stars begin signing on the dotted line this morning, there will be joy in some camps but heartbreak in others, all dependent upon the whims and perceptions of 17and 18-year-old kids who sometimes are easily swayed by the most trivial of factors.
Barring any last-minute changes of heart, Clemson University is positioned today to bag what could turn out to be the top recruiting class in the program’s history.
Fifteen members of the 2015 assemblage already are on campus, thanks to the midyear enrollment process, but nine other highly coveted players of both regional and national renown are expected to join them today and arrive on campus this summer.
Clemson’s 2015 class has been ranked No. 3 nationally, trailing only Alabama and Florida State. Only one other group of incoming athletes at Clemson — the 2008 class that included Bowers, Dwayne Allen, Jamie Harper and Kyle Parker — has been ranked as highly, but Swinney consistently has put together highlyrated groups. Each of Swinney’s previous six classes has been ranked among the Top 20 nationally, which gives the Tigers plenty of traction when the recruiting trails heat up. The Tigers certainly expect to fill some areas of dire need. Eleven members of the 2015 class are linemen, with players such as Albert Huggins and Mitch Hyatt perhaps good enough to have an immediate impact.
Clemson also is expected to sign four linebackers, which should ease the pain of losing standouts Stephone Anthony and Tony Steward. ESPN cameras will be on campus, chronicling the day for recruiting followers near and far, and Swinney will provide a wrap-up and some insight in a planned 2:30 p.m. media conference.
The Tigers also may get a healthy jump on the 2016 recruiting class when Spartanburg High’s highly regarded Tavien Feaster announces his decision at 6 p.m. He reportedly has Clemson at the top of his list, which includes Tennessee and Auburn.
Again, his decision is likely to come down toperception. “If it’s perceived as a strong program that’s winning, that gets exposure, that’s what kids are looking for and that’s what Dabo and his staff have developed,” Luginbill said. “Unless you all of a sudden start tanking on the field, which I don’t see happening with their talent base, then I think you’re going to continue to see high-end recruiting classes out of Clemson.”
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