Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

Nov 21, 2021, 10:17 PM

So seen where Dabo mentioned that Lay, Johnson, Jeffries, and BV's eldest will be moving on after this season. So based on my country math with those departures, current seniors (who wouldn't count even if they exercise the COVID waiver), and the current commits coming in, that would put Clemson football at 77-78 scholarship players for 2022. So looking at the potential chess pieces moving forward as we hopefully round out the 2022 class next month and in February.

RB: having 3 scholarship players after starting the season with 5, Trevor Etienne should be 1 of the biggest priorities. We're the only non-SEC school in his top 5, but given that his brother had a very successful career here and the other schools are already RB-heavy compared to us, hoping that Clemson comes out on top. If the staff misses on Etienne, or if they do get him but want to get back to 5 scholarship backs, I could see this being a spot where they dip into the portal since only other target is a grayshirt offer to Keith Adams' son.

WR: moving parts here in last week. Missed on Greene, Williams from Dutch Fork comes up for the game, and leaves with an announced offer. I know many on the board are high on him & wondering why we hadn't offered yet. We're having to compete w/ SC, Ole Miss, & Auburn along with FSU. Hoping the staff didn't wait too late especially since he's virtually in enemy territory, but he would obviously be a big get.

OL: Tayquon deciding to move on, along w/ Tchio entering the portal, now leaves us at 14 for next year. Think the coaches were ok w/ staying at 15 with Sadler and Miller coming in. That changes, and unfortunately, I think any potential remaining targets/offers the staff had out there have Clemson outside their top groups. If 15 is the magic number, then look at portal being an option in case the staff is unable to land another player before either NSD.

DL: 7 each on DE and DT...could end up down to 6 DEs as Henry hasn't made up his mind yet. Right now, there are 7 DE targets uncommitted...Clemson is only in top 5 of one (Wesolak). According to 247, its between us & Mizzou and the SEC Tigers are slight favorite. I could see the staff being able to reel him in; also keep an eye on Okunlola from Massachusetts should we miss on Wesolak or if we land him but KJ decides to leave (he's only DE target that hasn't narrowed down to a Top 5 yet). DT is tougher, as we're in top 5 for Perry and Curry, but they're projected to go to Bama and OSU respectively. Idk if we manage to flip/find one on the recruiting trail or dip into portal here. Or if the staff tries to make it w/ 7 since they're probably gonna go after DT hard in '23 class.

LB/DB: I think CB and safety is set, although we're in Branch's top 5 (OSU lean) and offered Woodaz couple weeks ago. Venables moving on opens up another LB spot & our only LB target outside of Kanak is already down to a top 3 that doesn't have Clemson. Think the low hanging fruit here to resolve would be land Woodaz as another body at safety & move Carter (who was LB in HS and listed in the SAM/NB depth chart even though he's listed as safety) into the LB corp, and shift the pieces around there accordingly.

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We already have 7-8 slots to fill. David Hood mentioned @ least 1 of those getting filled by walk-on, specifically Helms (which I know would drive many folks mad b/c the griping seen about # of scholly spots being filled by walk-ons currently). Biggest thing I'm afraid of is some of these guys that were out all year w/ injury get re-injured or what they're dealing w/ ends up being career killers, especially w/ OL (since that seems to be the spot that normally happens in).

Like I've said, hopefully we have a few surprises left on recruiting trail, but do think they can't avoid using the portal this year to shore up spots. Most of us are expecting a bounce back next year but we've been dealing w/ attrition the past couple years at level we hadn't seen in the Dabo Swinney era & this offseason could be a tightrope walk. I'm just hoping that this year was a exception & not a norm.

Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

Re: Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

I sure hope there aren't any more departures.

Re: I sure hope there aren't any more departures.

Re: Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

Well my understanding is that the waiver doesn't count against

Re: Well my understanding is that the waiver doesn't count against

Re: Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

Re: Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

Re: Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

Re: Rounding out recruiting for 2022?

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