Clemson football
Sideline Carolina
Welcome to college football’s early signing period, which is a week later than usual this year but somehow a lot less hectic for Clemson football.
Amid preparations for the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl against Tennessee, coach Dabo Swinney’s Tigers are expected to sign 25 high school recruits — with a 26th also a possibility — and essentially put a bow on the nation’s 12th ranked class of 2023 by Wednesday afternoon.
It’s a return to normalcy after a hectic end to the 2022 cycle. Clemson signed 12 high school recruits during the early period a year ago after the departures of longtime offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and defensive coordinator Brent Venables for the head coaching jobs at Virginia and Oklahoma, respectively. The Tigers added eight more recruits in the February regular period.
It’s been a steadier ride in 2023, with Clemson picking up the majority of its commitments over the summer and adding a few more during the fall.
Of the Tigers’ 25 public commitments, 19 of 25 rank as four- or five-star recruits and 19 of 25 come from four anchor states in the Southeast: Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. Notably, there are zero from North Carolina.
The group ranks 12th nationally and second in the ACC behind Miami (No. 3 nationally). Clemson’s also No. 10 nationally in average recruit ranking (91.07).
Here’s a look at Clemson’s 2023 recruiting class position by position, as well as information on one remaining target, early enrollees and bowl practices. Asterisks next to a player indicate that Clemson has received their national letter of intent and confirmed them as a signee.
Clemson football 2023 recruits
National rankings via 247Sports Composite
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
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4-star ATH Ronan Hanafin, Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (Mass.), No. 311
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4-star WR Noble Johnson, Rockwall (Tex.), No. 362
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3-star WR Tyler Brown, Greenville (S.C), No. 744
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3-star ATH Misun Kelley, Daniel (S.C.), No. 899
Tight end
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3-star TE Olsen Patt Henry, First Baptist Academy (Fla.), No. 409
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3-star TE Markus Dixon, Archbishop Wood (Pa.), No. 635
Offensive line
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4-star IOL Harris Sewell, Permian (Tex.), No. 111
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4-star OT Zechariah Owens, Eagle’s Landing Christian (Ga.), No. 211
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4-star OT Ian Reed, Vandegrift (Tex.), No. 285
Defensive line
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5-star DL Peter Woods, Thompson (Ala.), No. 33
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4-star DL Vic Burley, Warner Robins (Ga.), No. 55
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4-star DL Tomarrion Parker, Central (Ala.), No. 97
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4-star DL Stephiylan Green, Rome (Ga.), No. 108
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4-star edge David Ojiebge, St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), No. 262
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4-star edge AJ Hoffler, Woodward Academy (Ga.), No. 324
Linebacker
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4-star LB Jamal Anderson, Mill Creek (Ga.), No. 215
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4-star LB Dee Crayton, Denmark (Ga.), No. 417
Defensive back
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4-star CB Avieon Terrell, Westlake (Ga.), No. 258
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4-star CB Branden Strozier, St. Francis (Ga.), No. 358
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4-star S Robert Billings, Milton (Ga.), No. 413
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4-star ATH Kylen Webb, Riverview (Fla.), No. 379
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3-star ATH Khalil Barnes, North Oconee (Ga.), No. 543
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3-star CB Shelton Lewis, Stockbridge (Ga.), No. 668
RB target changes plans
Clemson running back target Jamarius Haynes said last week he wouldn’t sign his national letter of intent with a school until the February regular period, The State previously reported.
But Haynes has since changed plans, tweeting on Monday night that he will now sign his NLI with a school Wednesday. Clemson was widely viewed as the leader in Haynes’ recruitment.
The Tigers offered Haynes, an unranked running back at Handley (Ala.) High School, his first FBS scholarship in October. Haynes has since received offers from Washington State, Western Kentucky, Coastal Carolina and Georgia Tech.
If Haynes chooses Clemson, he’d be the Tigers’ second RB commit in the class. As of Tuesday night, Haynes had one Crystal Ball prediction to choose Georgia Tech.
Chapel Fowler has covered Clemson football, among other topics, for The State since June 2022. He’s a Denver, N.C., native, a 2020 UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus and a pickup basketball enthusiast with previous stops at the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer and Chatham (N.C.) News + Record. His work has been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the North Carolina Press Association and the Associated College Press.