Clemson might be about to keep another playmaker home — and steal an early win on the 2027 recruiting trail in the process.
Just one day after Dabo Swinney and the Tigers offered then-2028 wideout Trey Wimbley, the explosive in-state receiver reclassified to the 2027 class and immediately picked up a crystal-ball projection to Clemson. The message around the Upstate is clear: the Tigers are in the driver’s seat.
Reclass, Offer, and a Quick Crystal Ball
Wimbley’s recruitment accelerated fast.
On Friday, Clemson extended an offer to the D.W. Daniel (S.C.) standout as a 2028 prospect. In the same breath, Wimbley announced he was moving up a year and joining the 2027 cycle.
Recruiting services already see him as one of the top young receivers in the country:
- No. 51 overall prospect nationally (2027)
- No. 12 wide receiver
- No. 2 player in South Carolina
The 6-foot, high-end four-star has nine offers, with Ole Miss and SMU currently the only other Power Four programs in the mix. Still, the early buzz points straight at Death Valley.
Clemson Insider’s Corey Fravel logged a crystal-ball prediction for the Tigers less than 24 hours after the offer, a move rooted in more than just wishful thinking.
Backyard Pipeline: Daniel to Death Valley
If Wimbley does commit, he’ll be walking a well-worn path.
D.W. Daniel High sits in Clemson’s backyard and has long been a pipeline for Tiger talent. The current roster already features three former Lions:
- DE Jahiem Lawson
- CB/WR Misun Kelley
- OL Seth Corontzes
More help is on the way. Wimbley’s teammate, 2027 cornerback Christian Chancellor Jr., committed to Clemson in July shortly after his own offer.
Wimbley has also done his homework. He’s unofficially visited Clemson three times this year — for games against LSU, Syracuse and SMU — giving him repeated looks at the program, the offense and the culture up close. That familiarity is a big reason why the early projections tilt orange.
Big-Play Production to Match the Hype
The ranking and interest are backed up by real production.
As a freshman on varsity last season, Wimbley flashed immediately as a big-play threat, posting:
- 28 receptions
- 583 receiving yards
- 8 touchdowns
That’s nearly 21 yards per catch, the kind of downfield explosiveness that jumps off a stat sheet and onto college radars. He earned All-County and All-Region honors for his breakout year.
This fall, he leveled up again as Daniel’s go-to receiver:
- 57 catches
- 1,072 receiving yards
- 14 touchdowns
He also became a bigger factor on special teams, recording 288 return yards on 12 opportunities and taking a punt back for a score.
Daniel finished 10–2 and 6–0 in region play, entering the SCHSL 4A playoffs as the No. 2 seed before being upset by Camden in the second round. Even in the loss, Wimbley’s sophomore tape cemented him as one of the state’s ascending stars.
Building Around Hughley and an Intriguing 2027 Core
If Wimbley ultimately chooses Clemson, he’d slide into what already looks like a fascinating 2027 nucleus.
The Tigers’ class currently features:
- Four-star QB Kharim Hughley (Gainesville, Ga.)
- Three-star LB Max Brown — brother of former Clemson star LB Sammy Brown
- Three-star S Harrison Luke — son of Clemson OL coach Matt Luke
- Three-star CB Christian Chancellor Jr. — Wimbley’s teammate at Daniel
Add Wimbley to that mix and Clemson would have a homegrown, big-play receiver to pair with an ESPN-approved dual-threat quarterback and a group of legacy-type defenders.
The commitment date isn’t set yet, and more offers will come. But with location, familiarity, a long-standing pipeline and early predictions all tilting toward Swinney’s program, the Tigers are well-positioned to keep one of South Carolina’s best in-state weapons right at home in Tiger Town.