Tuesday April 01, 2008

Football Recruiting-Offense

Clemson Football Recruiting 2009-The Offense
Quarterback
Lose-Cullen Harper
Return-Willy Korn, Michael Wade, Kyle Parker, Jon Richt
Probable Number of Signees in 2009-1
Commitments-0

Recruiting Notes: Clemson has been very successful recruiting quarterbacks in recent years especially in the Rob Spence years. The Tigers have usually found quarterbacks in their summer camps. There are no in-state prospects that have a Clemson offer at this point. In fact, the Tigers have only offered a couple of signal callers heading into April and both quarterbacks are nationally recruited players. Aaron Murray of Tampa, FL and Morgan Newton of Carmel, IN are two highly rated players that also have offers from many of the national powers. At this point, I am not sure how the quarterback recruiting board will shake out and probably will not have a better idea until the Tigers have their summer camps.

I think Clemson would love to sign another national quarterback in this class but the things I am hearing out of spring practice will make it difficult. The staff will not publicize it but several I have spoken with say Willy Korn has been better than ever this spring. The staff might not want a quarterback controversy or they may not want to add pressure for Korn but they are extremely happy with his development. Kyle Parker has not spent a lot of time at practice but he has already made an impression. Parker has the strongest arm of any of the signal callers and several observers have told me he will be a factor next spring.

Running Backs
Lose-James Davis, Rendrick Taylor
Return- C.J. Spiller, Jamie Harper, Andre Ellington
Probable Number of Signees in 2009-2
Commitments- Roderick McDowell

Recruiting Notes: Who knows if Rendrick Taylor will stay at running back and if he will be successful if he stays at the position. We also are not sure if C.J. Spiller will opt to leave school early and enter the NFL Draft after his junior season. The only thing we know at this point is Clemson will lose James Davis and the Tigers will sign at least two running backs in the upcoming class.

The ability to sign another top notch class here may also depend on the development of Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington. If both are what the staff expects then the sense of urgency will not hit the staff. But if either or both are not then they have to sign two very good ones in 2009.

The staff received a commitment from the state’s top running back, Roderick McDowell of Sumter High School. He is a speedster that reminds some of 2008 signee Andre Ellington. I had one high school coach say, “We played against both Ellington and McDowell and we had a harder time with McDowell.” He chose Clemson over South Carolina.

The staff would like to sign one other back and is currently involved with some of the nation’s top prospects including North Carolina’s best Desmond Scott of Durham, NC and some of the best backs in Georgia and Florida. However, the staff can afford to be patient and very picky with the final running back in this class.

Wide Receivers
Lose-Kelly, Grisham, Faerber
Return-J. Ford, Jones, Clear, Ashe, Brown, Dye, Ogren, B. Ford
Probable Number of Signees in 2009-4
Commitments-Larry Raper

Recruiting Notes The Tigers will have to have quality and quantity at this position in the class of 2009. I can see the staff signing anywhere from 3-5 prospects at this position but that number could change because several of the potential signees can play wide out, running back or in the secondary.

Larry Raper committed early to the staff and he gives the Tigers a burner at this position. Raper reminds some of Jacoby Ford because he has separation speed. Raper is another player that can be used as a receiver and also in the kick return game.

Clemson will take 2-4 more wide receivers in this class and have had positive correspondence with some of the South’s best wide receivers like Jheranie Boyd of Gastonia, NC, Jamal Patterson of McDonough, GA, Marlon Brown of Memphis, TN, Ricco Sanders of Duncan, SC. Stephon Gilmore of Rock Hill, SC is one of the best prospects in South Carolina but he can play on either side of the ball.

With this group the staff would like to sign a wide variety of players who can help in different ways. They would like to have a big receiver like Kevin Youngblood and smaller, quicker receivers like Ford and Chansi Stuckey.

Tight Ends
Lose- Robinson
Return- Diehl, Palmer, Linthicum, Barry, Allen
Probable Number of Signees in 2009-1
Commitments-0

Recruiting Notes: Clemson loses only one tight end next year so they would like to sign at least one next year. I put Chad Diehl and future H-Backs in this category as well. One player the Tigers are in excellent shape with that fits this mold is Tyler Shatley of Connellys Springs, NC. Clemson could get a commitment from Shatley and be done here at this position but this is a prospect that could grow into a defensive lineman as well. He is a bigger version of Diehl (who by the way continues to impress the Clemson staff with each practice)

Offensive Line
Lose- McKissic, Hutchinson
Return- Hairston, Walker, Lambert, Smith, McClain, Grant, Medlin, Page, Humphries, Norris, Freeman, Austin, Cloy, Sanders
Probable Number of Signees in 2009-2
Commitments-J.K. Jay

Recruiting Notes: The original thought here is that the staff may only sign two offensive linemen in the upcoming class but I would not be surprised to see that number grow. They lose only two seniors but attrition seems to hit this position for most schools across the country. In either case, the staff can afford to be very selective here.

J.K. Jay is an early commitment and the finest offensive linemen in the state. He did not play a lot as a junior because of a broken leg but he is still considered one of the South’s top prospects.

The only other in-state offensive linemen Clemson has offered so far is Dorman High’s Brandon Thomas and Quentin Washington of St. Stephens. I have seen Thomas and like his upside. The staff is involved with some of the best linemen in the South like Xavier Nixon of Fayetteville, NC and Johnnie Farms of Perry, GA.

Tomorrow we will look at the defensive side of the ball in terms of numbers and notes.

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