You’ve got recruiting questions and we have the answers.
Welcome to All Clemson’s recruiting mailbag, where we will answer your recruiting questions. Or we will at least attempt to do so, as recruiting is a world with many moving parts and an ever-changing landscape where circumstances can often change in a flash.
With that in mind, let’s dive in.
ToGigers74: I’ve heard a lot of noise lately around Mike Matthews and Tennessee?
To me, there has always been a lot of "noise" surrounding Mike Matthews and Tennessee. The Vols are probably the Tigers' biggest competition for the 5-star talent. Matthews was in town for Clemson's big official visit last weekend and was in Athens this weekend. While on his visit to Georgia, he was tweeting about his Clemson visit. There are different ways in which that tweet can be interpreted, and I will leave that up to you to decide for yourselves.
Matthews will head to Southern Cal next weekend, then follow that up with his final scheduled official visit to Knoxville. There are still some twists and turns left with this one. Which way is he leaning? I won't pretend to know that. This is one we are just going to have to let play out. Make no mistake, he is still a take, despite Clemson already having two wide receiver commits on board in 4-stars TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco, and the Tigers are very much in it.
Jason: What's the latest on 2024 CB Corian Gipson? I've been seeing reports of a Texas lean now.
Gipson is a hard one to get a good read on. The timeline has changed a time or two with him. I thought he could potentially commit while visiting for the spring game, but of course that didn't happen.
Then I thought he could be a guy that chose to shut things down after visiting Clemson last weekend, and so far that hasn't happened. There is something still holding him back. He canceled his visit to Alabama this weekend, but he still has scheduled stops with Ohio State and Texas this month. The Longhorns have always kind of been lurking there throughout the process. He is from Texas, after all. Don't discount Ohio State here, though.
As for which way he is leaning, as we sit here today, I still like Clemson's chances. Obviously, that doesn't mean they will win out in the end, but when the dust settles, I still think it might play out that way. But as of now, those final two visits appear to be on.
Kevin: Any new QB offers coming? What’s the number as it stands now for '24,'25,'26? Any truth to DJ Lagway rumors ?
Unless something changes, I don't think Clemson takes a quarterback in 2024. It's just not that dire of a need. While you would prefer to have one, you don't just take one to fill a spot. If you just take one to take one, you're quite possibly looking at a transfer after his first or second season. If you really need one, you can always go get another grad transfer from the portal.
As for the rumors surrounding DJ Lagway, as of now he is still committed to Florida. All those decommitment rumors got started on Mother's Day when he posted a picture of himself, and his mom on Twitter. He was wearing a Clemson uniform taken at a photo shoot during his visit to Clemson months ago. It raised eyebrows and understandably so.
My understanding is that he chose that photo because it was the only photo shoot his mother attended, therefore making it the only photo of the two of that nature he had of them together. Either way, it ruffled some feathers in the Gator fan base.
Whether he stays committed, nothing would surprise me anymore. However, for Clemson to get back involved, that is a process he would have to initiate, and I have not heard the first peep of any wheels in motion.
Not taking one in 2024 doesn't affect the number for the next cycle. That number will be one. 5-star George MacIntyre and 4-star Blake Hebert are the top two targets to start. Both picked up offers last week. 4-star Antwann Hill Jr worked out at camp on Saturday, and while he looked pretty good most of the afternoon, he left without an offer. Looking ahead to 2026, I would guess that number will be one, as well.
Brady: Who do you think the first offensive lineman to commit to Clemson could be in the 2024 cycle?
That is hard to predict. I'm still of the opinion that the board is probably going to expand at some point. But if I had to just take a wild guess, I might go with 4-star William Satterwhite. He told me last week after the official visit that Clemson was at the top of his list, in his top two. That other school was Tennessee, and he still has a visit scheduled with the Vols.
Like so many of these guys, we are just going to have to wait and see where things stand after they take all of their visits. Clemson took their shot last weekend. Now you let the chips fall where they may.
Wanna ask a recruiting question, shoot us an email a jp@clemsonmaven.io or hit us on Twitter.
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