Recruiting Notebook & GT Visitors

Who wants to be a Clemson Tiger?? Lots of random recruiting bits of information for this installment of the recruiting notebook. I'm going to start with updates on the remaining targets for this years recruiting class and then a short list of official visitors but wait until after this weekend's visits to talk about locking down our existing commits. As always ask any questions you desire in the comments for more information.

Mount Adams (5* Vienna GA, DT) : He will be at the LSU/Florida game this week and was at Georgia last week. Georgia has made up a little bit of ground but this is still an Auburn versus Clemson battle. He was at the FSU/Clemson game but if you follow the pattern of going to the Auburn game and then the FSU game, that is a lot of visits where he saw Clemson. Reports from the FSU game were that he didn't feel much love from the FSU coaching staff. I still feel confident that we are in a solid position to land Adams. Auburn's slide helps.

Tyrone Crowder (4* Rockingham NC, OG): Along with Adams, I still feel good about Crowder. We are neck and neck with Georgia right now for his services with North Carolina as a very close second. Stanford is out. To reiterate what I said last week we are no longer considering any other O-lineman other than Crowder. We have cooled on Droogsma and aren't really pursuing Outlaw, grades are a possible concern there. But the main reason is that Dabo feels good about the current O-lineman, especially with MacLain choosing to jump over to the Offensive line and play tackle. Maybank is also on the O-line learning the guard after wasting a redshirt year on the D-line.

So if we don't sign Crowder we will only sign 1 offensive lineman this year and that is 3* who had no recruiting evaluation from all the major services before Clemson offered (not saying that Maverick won't be good but doesn't inspire a ton of confidence if that is your only O-lineman for the year). This will leave a gaping hole in our O-line recruiting. This is a mismanagement of numbers and will make us thin up front if both guys don't pan out (assuming we get both).

Mackensie Alexander (5* Immokalee FL, CB): A lot of people are really excited about the Tnet article where he says 'TigerNation' and everyone in the nation knows Clemson is my favorite. This is certainly positive but let me be the wet blanket for a minute and temper those expectations. Lets go through the history here. Alexander was once committed to Tennessee and then backed out of that. He once before said Clemson was his favorite but he has also said that FSU, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Miami, Boise State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, and most recently Alabama are his favorite. No one knows how much his twin brother Mackenro will ultimately factor into his final decision, although Mackensie says it won't at all. Immediate playing time is still the priority but Alexander has his own thoughts on what that means.

So the rule of thumb here (hat tip to Bud Elliott over at TomahawkNation) is to follow the official visits. He went to Notre Dame and FSU. Notre Dame is legitimately in the running but I think that distance is working against them. FSU was once told that he was going to sign with them but FSU pulled their scholarship from his twin brother. There was a blowout and Mackensie wasn't pleased but I think those fences have been mended. He has always been a fan of Clemson and we desperately need CB help. Those things are working in our favor.

But, again, until he makes an official visit don't get your hopes up too high. Dabo and company are on the case though and talk with him on the phone often. They are doing everything they can to get the official. Alexander certainly knows who Sammy Watkins is and that helps us.

Marquez North (high 4* Mallard Creek NC, WR) : We have lost ground here. Tennessee is now surprisingly in the lead for his services. Pearman has dropped the ball in the Charlotte area. We were the clear leaders for North all throughout the summer and I suspect our interest in Tramell Terry as more than a DB may be related to slipping with North. We are now in second with North Carolina. Other schools still in the picture are Ohio State, Florida, and Georgia. This could all change if Dooley gets canned.

I know we have a great WR class but North is an immense talent. He has the speed and size to be a 3 year starter who goes off to the NFL and Pearman couldn't get him on campus and defend Clemson when we added a 3rd WR commit. Jay Graham over at Tennessee has cleaned the floor with Pearman and the staff should seriously consider moving him to another recruiting area. Charlotte is just too important. Your TE coach needs to be able to recruit.

Tramel Terry (4* Goose Creek SC, WR/RB/CB): He is taking an official visit this weekend and is the only 2013 recruit visiting (the other SEC games hurt our hosting of players this week). Terry has been on campus multiple times and will be at Clemson to see his teammate TJ Burrell but also Tony Elliott who has done a fantastic job of building a relationship with Terry beyond football. If I am Georgia then I would be feeling a bit nervous. He is still solidly committed to Georgia but he de-committed and then re-committed over the summer so it is not outside the realm of possibility. Terry will enroll early so this is kind of a make or break moment for Clemson. Terry is being recruited as a RB/WR hybrid who could also play DB. Before Clemson wanted him solely as a CB/DB but that has completely changed.

Notable Recruits Visiting the Week

Tramel Terry (2013)

Soloman Brown D.W. Daniel OLB (2014)

Quaven Ferguson Easley DT (2014)

Andrew Williams McDonough GA DE (2014)

Committed Players Visiting

Grayson Trio (Nkemdiche will be at another game!)

Mike Williams

Ben Boulware

Ryan Jenkins

Dane Rogers

Cannon Smith (2014)

Jae'lon Oglesby (2014)

DeShaun Watson (2014) Very good to see Watson again at Clemson. If Chad is at Clemson he is still very solid.