Clemson football recruiting never stops. Could the Tigers potentially be looking at a QB target in the 2021 recruiting cycle?
After looking at the future of Clemson football quarterback rooms and the potential that the Tigers could have a transfer in the coming years, we were asked a question: When will the Tigers take another quarterback?
Clemson football received a commitment from 5-star QB DJ Uiagalelei, who is expected to be the heir to the starting job after Trevor Lawrence.
The Tigers have taken at least one quarterback in every single cycle since 2013, making it seven-straight years counting the 2020 cycle that the coaching staff has taken a quarterback. That streak was started with Deshaun Watson in 2014.
So, there’s certainly precedent that Clemson continues the trend and takes a quarterback in the 2021 cycle, especially if there’s any attrition due to transfers.
In the 2021 class, there has been one quarterback that has already expressed high interest in the Tigers and that’s 5-star Brock Vandagriff. Vandagriff, a Georgia recruiting, is listed as 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. He has a very strong arm and is deceptively athletic.
Though recruiting services have him listed as a pro-style quarterback, Vandagriff isn’t afraid to run the ball and actually rushed for more than 1,000 yards during his sophomore season.
He will likely be the first quarterback that the Tigers offer in the 2021 class, but I’m not sure that we’re going to see a heavy recruitment of any quarterback in this cycle.
From all accounts, the Tigers are sold on Uiagalelei and he’s going to be the next starter. That means that a 2021 guy would more be coming to the program to create depth. Perhaps an in-state QB, similar to a Kelly Bryant that could be considered more of a long-term project, will be what the Tigers look more in-depth at recruiting.
It’s a good question, but it’s one that we can’t answer fully yet. There’s a good chance that the Tigers take a quarterback, but I don’t expect that it’s going to be a 5-star who is looking to come in and compete right away. They got the guy they’ve been targeting for several years now in Uiagalelei and he’s going to be the future of the Clemson football program after Trevor Lawrence.