The 2021 Clemson football recruiting class is filling up quickly and there will be some big names that do not make the cut.
Unlike many other big programs across the country, Clemson football does not over sign their recruiting classes and head coach Dabo Swinney is strict on the numbers that they take at each position. After the last several commitments for the 2021 class, that means the Tigers will miss out on several 5-stars unless Swinney suddenly changes his thoughts on recruiting.
Over the last couple of weeks, the Tigers have picked up commitments from 4-star wide receiver Troy Stellato and 4-star defensive end Zaire Patterson. Stellato’s commitment gave the Tigers three commitments from receivers in the 2021 class, 4-star Dacari Collins, 4-star Beaux Collins, and 4-star Troy Stellato – the allotment for the Tigers at that position in 2021.
Clemson football also had just two slots open for defensive ends in the 2021 class and currently, those are taken by 4-star Cade Denhoff out of Florida and 4-star Zaire Patterson out of North Carolina.
Clemson football likely to miss out of two 5-star players
When looking at these two positions in the 2021 recruiting class, if Coach Swinney does not change their initial direction on position caps, the Tigers will potentially miss out on two 5-star players; one at each position.
In regards, to the wide receivers spot, the Tigers will lose out on the nation’s top receiver in Emeka Egbuka out of Washington. While Ohio State has rumored to be his favorite, Clemson being full at the receiver spot heading into the summer could help him make that decision.
It would be the second year in a row that Clemson and Ohio State battled for the nation’s top receiver with the Buckeyes winning both. In 2019, Julian Fleming picked the Buckeyes over the Tigers.
As far as defensive ends, having both Denhoff and Patterson commit for 2021 more than likely means the end of Korey Foreman coming in from California. Foreman has said that Clemson is still in it and he still really like the Tigers, but again, unless Swinney takes away from another area of the recruiting class or someone decides to transfer or leave early, there is no room for Foreman at this point.
Obviously recruiting is very fluid and things literally change at a moment’s notice. But as of now, Clemson football will more than likely miss out on these to very talented young men. As we have learned over the last decade, Coach Swinney and his staff know what they are doing and there is no need to stress about recruiting classes-especially with seven months left in the recruiting cycle.