Over the last few weeks, Clemson has jumped up in the recruiting rankings for its 2024 class. Most publications currently have the Tigers just inside the top 10 in the nation hovering around the seventh and eighth spots. This is with only about 16 commits so far in the class, while many other top-10 schools are right around 20. Dabo Swiney seems to know exactly the players he wants, and the ones he has gotten so far are big-time. Here are just a few that could make a huge impact, possibly very quickly, once they officially step on campus.
The Five Stars
At the moment Clemson has two five-star commits arriving in Death Valley when 2024 comes around. First is Bryant Wesco, a wide receiver from Midlothian, TX. The 6’2 170 pound Wesco is top 5 on all the major recruiting sites (ESPN, Rivals, 247 Sports, On3) at his position. He is also top 10 in the state of Texas on all the same sites. When watching his film, it is easy to see why he is a true 5-star athlete. Wesco is a great route runner who knows how to find open spaces in defensive coverage. A skill that really sticks out is how aggressive he is at getting back to the ball to make a reception. This is something many young players struggle with at receiver that Wesco is already very good at. Wesco could be a problem for any defense in the Garrett Riley offense when he gets to Clemson. The way he goes to get the ball and his elusiveness in the open field will be great for the screen game Riley likes to use in his offense.
The second five-star commit is linebacker Sammy Brown. Brown was actually the first five-star to commit to Clemson, which really got the fanbase excited. It is hard not to be excited about picking up a player like Brown though when you see him play. As a top 3 linebacker in the class of 2024 (first on ESPN and 247 Sports), Brown is a stud. He has great sideline to sideline speed that allows him to chase down ball carriers all over the field tackling them with force. Brown always plays physical never, shying away from taking on blocks. He is also a pretty good running back for Jefferson High School in Georgia. All of this makes him a top 5 player in the state overall. With Trotter and Carter leaving very soon the Tigers might already have someone to step in their place.
Building the Pass Game
One glaring problem for the Clemson offense recently has been their passing game. Ranked 66th in pass offense last season, this is obviously an issue the Tigers are trying hard to fix. Wesco was not the only big-time wide receiver commit the Tigers picked up as they also got four-star T.J. Moore. Moore is a 6’3 180 pound receiver from Tampa, Florida and he plays with every bit of that height. A top 15 player in the state of Florida according to On3 and 247 Sports, Moore is a very athletic receiver always ready to use that 6’2 frame to go get jump balls over sometimes multiple defenders. He has very good speed that helps him get past defenders for deep passes and make big plays after catches. Moore could be a real asset as a deep threat playing out wide for the Tigers. Expect to see him making many big plays for the Tigers’ offense in the near future.
Adding the pass threats did not stop there for Clemson though. Christian Bentancur from Marion Central Catholic in Illinois has already made his commitment to the Tigers also. The 6’4 235 pound four-star, top 10 ranked tight end should also be a big addition to the offense in 2024. Also a basketball player, Bentancur knows how to use his large frame to keep himself between the ball and defenders. He will go also up to get the ball no matter how many defenders are surrounding him. Once he comes down with the football he will use his size to break tackles for extra yards. Bentancur is also sneaky and elusive which helps him in the open field. In the run game, he could be a really physical blocker when needed. Building this offense, especially the passing game seems to be an important goal in these recruiting efforts. That does not mean though they have ignored the defensive side of the ball.
Keeping the Defense Dominant
The motto of “Defense wins Championships” is one that described Clemson football, especially in 2022. Ranked 17th in points scored against, and 10th in rushing defense the Tigers have continued to be very good on the defensive side of the ball. This is something they are looking to continue with the five-star linebacker Brown on the way. Brown is just one of quite a few talented defensive players already chosen to commit to Clemson in 2024. Starting up front Hevin Brown Shuler is a 6’4 300 pound four-star defensive tackle on his way to Death Valley in 2024. Shuler plays with so much strength in the middle of that Pace Academy defense always coming off the ball very physically. A top-15 defensive tackle according to ESPN and Rivals, Shuler truly is a beast on the defensive line. If he gets his hands just a bit quicker he could be extremely hard to block on the next level.
Staying on the defensive line the Tigers also got a big talented edge rusher on the way in 2024. Darien Mayo is 6’8 250 pounds and a top-three player in the state of Maryland for a reason. Quick off the ball, he uses his long arms to create separation between himself and blockers very well. He is also tough on goal-line plays always driving ball carriers backward on first contact.
In the defensive backfield safety Ricardo Jones has declared he will be at Clemson in 2024. At 6’3 190 pounds Jones is very good at being patient in coverage and reading the quarterback’s eyes. This patience helps him to get right to where the ball is going very often. The top 15 ranked safety is also not afraid to get physical on run plays and insert himself into position to make big tackles. Jones has the potential to be a very good defensive back for the Tigers for years to come.
NEW Commit
As this article was in the beginning phases of being written Ashton Hampton announced his commitment to the Clemson program. The three-star athlete (four-star on Rivals) is a two-way player who plays with high energy. At 6’2 175 pounds he could either be a lengthy cornerback or an athletic outside receiver threat. Another really good pickup for the Clemson offense.
