Clemson Football Recruiting: Top 10 Big Board

5. Patrick Surtain Jr. (CB)

Patrick Surtain Jr. is the second member of my big board from American Heritage high school in Plantation, Florida. Surtain and the aforementioned Tyson Campbell are arguably the best tandem of high school corner backs in the country.

Need-

As I previously stated, Clemson is in need of more quality depth at defensive back, however, it would not be the end of the world if they were to miss on a few prospects.

The good thing about Clemson’s current situation in the secondary is the fact that they have the freedom to place all of their energy into a handful of elite defensive backs.

Patrick Surtain Jr. is the best cornerback in this class in my opinion, he has the length that defensive coordinators covet at corner along with the speed to cover wide outs down the field. What stands out most is Surtain’s play making ability, he is routinely intercepting passes or stripping ball carriers. He has a certain Tyrann Mathieu element to his game.

Outlook-

Ironically enough LSU – former school of Tyrann Mathieu – is currently the leader in Surtain’s recruitment.

It will be tough for Clemson to sway Surtain from LSU as the Tigers have become known for their ability to put defensive backs in the NFL. That being said, Clemson’s defense has consistently been one of the best in the country since Brent Venables came over from Oklahoma.

If Clemson can get Surtain on campus for an official visit, they may be able to sweep Surtain out from under LSU, much like they did with Travis Etienne Jr. in the 2017 recruiting class.