Clemson football being blasted on the recruiting trail & it might not be over
The Clemson football program is being absolutely blasted on the recruiting trail for the class of 2022 currently and it might not be over yet.
As we approach the month of April, Clemson football has a grand total of four commits- all 4-stars- in the class of 2022, but it has been a story of losing over the last month.
This series of losing on the recruiting trail started about a month ago when 5-star QB Ty Simpson announced he would be making his decision. For months Simpson was considered a Clemson lean and many believed it was truly a battle between the Tigers and his in-state school of Tennessee. When Simpson announced that he would be closing his recruitment, the overarching belief was that he had ruled the Vols out of the running and that he’d be coming to Clemson.
However, as the date came closer it became apparent that Alabama was becoming the leader. In the end, it was the Crimson Tide who garnered his commitment.
Clemson rebounded by gaining a commitment from 4-star QB Cade Klubnik, who many believe has a higher ceiling than Simpson.
Then, the Tigers were entrenched in a battle for 5-star S Malaki Starks. This week, Starks chose Georgia. That one, really, wasn’t a surprise.
The big surprise came this Sunday when 4-star LB Jalon Walker announced his decision.
Walker had been considered a Clemson football lean for more than a year now and the overarching belief was that the Tigers had all but locked up his recruitment when he said he’d be committing. But then things changed.
As we got to the week of the commitment, the winds began to change. In the end, Walker- the top LB on the Clemson football board- chose Georgia.
That one hurt just about as bad as any recruiting loss has in a while for Clemson football
When you lead for an elite linebacker for months- even a year- and then he ends up committing to another school- let alone Georgia- it hurts.
It can’t be characterized as anything other than a failure. Sadly enough, that might not be the end of this series of unfortunate events for the Tigers in these battles with Georgia.
5-star DT Travis Shaw has been considered a Clemson lean for quite a while and the North Carolina Tar Heels have been heavily involved in competition. However, there is a belief now that Georgia is legitimately in the fold.
Shaw has a relationship with Walker and there’s no doubt that the fellow North Carolinian will be trying to lure his friend to head down to Athens instead of Clemson or Chapel Hill when it’s all said and done.
Do we still think the Tigers are the winners for this one in the end? Hopefully so. But, right now, nothing is for sure.
The good news? Clemson football still has time to rebound and make this a successful class. The Tigers are taking their blows currently, but that doesn’t mean they can’t pick it up and finish this cycle out with some major victories before it’s all said and done.