Freshmen Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers are the Newest Set of Friends at WRU

Clemson football has three sets of receivers who were friends before joining the team and the newest pair is from Tennessee. 

Juniors Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud are veteran receivers from the Tampa, FL area and Tampa Tech and Sickles High, respectively. The two have known each other for a long time and competed against each other throughout their high school careers.

When it was time to think about a college destination both had Clemson on their list. Of course, the Floridians faced the obvious pressure of staying in the state and schools like Florida and South Florida were key competitors to the Tigers.

Cain gave his verbal commitment on May 28 2014.

McCloud talked to Phil Kornblut about the impact of Cain’s commitment on his future decision.

"We are best friends and we grew up together but it doesn’t. If I end up going there, then I end up going there. It’s not because of him. It would be great if we could play together but it is what it is. I wasn’t surprised (about the commitment). I actually knew before a lot of people. When he told me I told him that it was a good fit for him."

McCloud committed on July 28 2014.

Sophomores Diondre Overton and Cornell Powell were childhood friends in Greenville, NC until Overton moved to Greensboro. Overton starred at Page High and Powell at J.H. Rose. It was football camps and 7-on-7 competitions that brought the two old friends back together and renewed their friendship.

Cornell Powell verbally committed on Feb. 4 2015. Overton committed on Jan. 3 2016 at the Semper Fidelis All-Star Game.

Overton spoke to Tigernet about his commitment and reuniting with Powell.

"I am looking forward to just getting there and getting on the team and being a Clemson Tiger. It’s amazing to me. I am just happy to be a Clemson Tiger. I will be rooming with Cornell Powell. It’s great because me and Cornell grew up together. We would never have expected to wind up at the same college, so I am just happy to wind up somewhere as special as Clemson with someone like Cornell."

True freshmen Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers are from Tennessee. Rodgers from Knoxville Catholic and Higgins from Oak Ridge High. The two schools are about 30 minutes away from each other.

Did Rodgers and Higgins battle each other on the football field on Fridays? No.

Were they friends as youths? No.

Is there a friendship, because Higgins has the same first name as Rodgers dad, Tee Martin, a Tennessee football great and current USC offensive coordinator? No.

In fact, the only connections between the two are the state of Tennessee, the receiver position, and a coincidence. According to Camillia Stewart, Higgins’ mom, she doesn’t really know how the friendship started. She said, “I’m not real sure. I think it was because they both played football and the same position.”

Tee does have the same first name of Martin but it’s only a coincidence. Stewart talked about the confusion.

“Tee was not named after Tee Martin, Tee is named after his grandfather Maurice. I don’t know why they think that….the spelling comes from Tee Martin’s name.”

Both were heavily recruited by Tennessee and Higgins was once committed to the Vols. Rodgers de-committed from USC, committed to Clemson along with former Vols commit Hunter Johnson, when he honed in on getting his new friend to join him.

Rodgers gave his verbal on Valentine’s Day.

Like McCloud and Overton, Higgins had to answer questions about his friend’s commitment. From the Knoxville News Sentinel:

"Clemson and Tennessee were my main two schools. Tennessee was in front, and then the last two weeks, me and Coach Scott got real, real close. I just felt more of a bond between me and Coach Scott and Coach Swinney and decided to go to Clemson. Amari was committed, but that has nothing to do with why I committed. A lot of people think that but that’s not true."

Higgins eventually committed on the 4th of July.

Both were impressive in camp and found themselves avoiding redshirts and playing in the season opener against Kent State. In the 56-3 win, Rodgers caught 3 passes for 19 yards and Higgins two for 18 yards. Stewart couldn’t hold back tears as she watched his first college game.

“Oh my gosh, it was so exciting watching my son on the next level, it was tears of joy.”

Higgins was targeted once and Rodgers twice in the top 15 matchup with Auburn. Rodgers finished with one catch for five yards and Higgins no catches.

Now the two friends are set to play in the biggest game in their young careers. Stewart on tonight’s game in Kentucky.

“He’s excited and our family is so proud of him, and then to see and hear his name being called on TV is so surreal, my son is living a part of his dream, and we thank God for it.”

Clemson fans got a glimpse of what the pair of friends can do as a group, when each registered at least one catch in the win over Kent State. Juniors McCloud and Cain led the way with a combined 5 catches for 94 yards and Cain and Powell scored the only touchdowns.

The three pairs of receivers are from different states, have different friendships and different backgrounds, but they all share the same dream of playing in the NFL.

Stewart sees Higgins talent like everyone else and hopes he lives out his NFL dream, but when asked what makes her son special, she made no mention of his athletic ability.

“His humbleness, respect and his love for the younger kids. Tee has always been special to me.”

Higgins and Rodgers should get snaps tonight, and Clemson will need all six of the receivers/friends to get past the No. 14 Louisville Cardinals.