Clemson football: How does the class of 2023 compare to past recruiting classes?

Average Player Rating by Class

One last metric: the average player rating (quality) of the class in the Composite as of July 23rd.

It’s the Class of 2021, fueled by the 15 recruits in the Top 200, more than any other class from the last ten years, on top. It’s followed by 2018 & 2020.

The Class of 2023 currently is middle of the pack right now. I think there is a chance it could catch & surpass the Class of 2017 by the end of the cycle, but they will need to land a couple more recruits like Sewell & Woods.

The biggest takeaway? Use my rule of thumb from earlier: Year X drives the Class of X+2. That means the Class of 2023 would be driven by…..the 2021 season.

2021: the first season Clemson failed to make the playoffs and lost more than two games since 2014.

The coaching staff has assembled this class with the least momentum from on-field performance in years.

This demonstrates that the staff has done a remarkable job. If there was ever a cycle where the program didn’t sell itself and the staff had to sell it & themselves, its this one. It also shows Clemson has a lot to offer that isn’t tied to wins & losses.

The Class of 2023 isn’t likely to be declared the best class in the Dabo Swinney era, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t ultimately be the most important. Many thought the first non-playoff season since 2014 coupled with the losses of both coordinators would signal a downward trend for Clemson recruiting, and they pointed at the disrupted 2022 class as evidence.

This cycle’s class may not boast the same quantity of Top 100 players as a few past classes, but it does boast the kind of depth of talent that will hold that downward trend at bay, and it puts Clemson back into a position to consistently recruit at a high level.