Rubbing the Rock
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Clemson Football: Upwards trend in recruiting a difference

By Andrew Boardwine

CLEMSON, SC - AUGUST 31: A general view of Howard's Rock prior to the game between the Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs at Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2013 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - AUGUST 31: A general view of Howard's Rock prior to the game between the Clemson Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs at Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2013 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Tyler Smith/Getty Images) /
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It’s not just the fact that the Clemson football program is developing at the highest level, the Tigers are also recruiting at an elite measure.

The Clemson football program has been built on culture.

The Tigers have become one of the winningest programs in the nation and currently sit on top of the College Football world because of what Dabo Swinney has been able to do.

While many Clemson football fans brag about the development job the Tigers have done, Tiger fans should not forget about the job Swinney and Co. have done on the recruiting trail. As a matter of fact, the program’s positive future success can be- in many ways- directly related to the upwards trend in recruiting.

Here’s a look at where Clemson football finished in recruiting rankings- according to the 247 Sports’ Composite Team Rankings– in the past decade.

  • 2010: No. 27 nationally; No. 4 in the ACC
  • 2011: No. 10 nationally; No. 2 in the ACC
  • 2012: No. 20 nationally; No. 3 in the ACC
  • 2013: No. 15 nationally; No. 3 in the ACC
  • 2014: No. 16 nationally; No. 3 in the ACC
  • 2015: No. 9 nationally; No. 2 in the ACC
  • 2016: No. 11 nationally; No. 2 in the ACC
  • 2017: No. 16 nationally; No. 3 in the ACC
  • 2018: No. 7 nationally; No. 1 in the ACC
  • 2019: No. 10 nationally; No. 1 in the ACC
  • 2020: No. 3 nationally; No. 1 in the ACC

Clemson won its first National Championship in more than 30 years with recruiting classes that were ranked right around No. 12 in the nation. Since that point, things have become even brighter for the future of the Clemson football program.

The Tigers didn’t have the No. 1 recruiting class in the ACC until the 2018 recruiting cycle- the class that was headlined by Trevor Lawrence and Xavier Thomas.

Since that point, the Tigers have now had the No. 1 recruiting class in the conference for the past two seasons and they seem to be on track to do that yet again.

It’s absolutely scary to think that Dabo Swinney has been able to lead Clemson to CFB Playoff appearances, six-straight conference titles and two National Championships without the ‘technical’ top recruiting classes in the nation. Now, he’s making an upward trend in recruiting rankings and, as a result, one can only imagine the level that Clemson could ascend over the rest of the nation.

Next. When did Trevor Lawrence take a step back?. dark

The Tigers have been developing at an elite level for quite some time, but now they’re getting talent at a better clip than basically anyone in the country.

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