What's next for Clemson at running back?

Three-star tailback J'Alan Terry of Gadsden (AL) Coosa Christian School is one who has been on campus this summer, taking part in Dabo Swinney's high school camp to give Spiller another showcase of his skills.

Grayson Mann · Staff Writer · Wednesday, June 25 2025

Clemson's search for a top tailback continues.

On Wednesday afternoon, Moultrie's Jae Lamar made his college choice.

The 2026 four-star prospect announced that he was committing to Georgia, choosing the Bulldogs over Clemson, Miami, Florida State, and Auburn.

Clemson had found separation as a top-three school in Lamar's eyes, joining Georgia and Miami, but once again, the Tigers' top target at running back has gone another direction.

So far, CJ Spiller has extended three offers at tailback, with Carsyn Baker and Javian Mallory being the other two targets that Clemson has pursued.

After the dust has settled on another target going in another direction, what's next for this group?

In a world where depth defines everything, and certainly took its toll on the Tigers in 2024, this is a position that shouldn't be cast aside for another chance in 2027.

As it stands, Gideon Davidson is the prized back in that room, but will he be ready to go immediately? Adam Randall has made the switch to that spot, but he's only on campus for one more season. Jay Haynes will be returning in the fall after an ACL injury, but what type of player is he after such an injury?

David Eziomume showed out with a strong spring, and Keith Adams carries roster value as a bruiser, but the Tigers should always be looking to add. The lack of trust, or perhaps experience, in that room showed after Haynes' injury, and put the offense in a tough spot entering the semifinal against Texas.

Lamar's decision doesn't impact 2025, of course, but beyond that, you have to look at how this room operates moving forward. In this age of collegiate athletics, everything should be treated on a season-by-season basis, with nothing 100 percent in place until something is signed on the dotted line.

So, where will Spiller and this staff go moving forward? Plenty of names will surface in the coming weeks, but we have one that this staff has had its eye on for quite some time.

As Terry has relayed to TigerNet, that relationship is incredibly strong, and his patience with Clemson might pay dividends now that the search is wide open for a new tailback candidate for this class.

His top goal is to win, and he feels like the Tigers are a team that's getting hot at the right time, and he'd welcome an opportunity to be a part of that group.

"I mean, it would mean a lot right now," Terry said. "They're pretty hot in their recruitment right now. I mean, they're special right now. I feel like they're a national championship-type team, and it's my goal in college to win a national championship."

Terry has suitors in Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and others, but the Tigers have been a team waiting in the wings, and it may finally be time for them to take center stage.

Lamar is one the Tigers have missed on, but maybe, there's plenty of interested suitors just waiting for the right opportunity.