Elite offensive line recruits are among the most coveted assets in college football. That's why a player like Canon Pickett from Tampa, Florida is hearing from virtually every elite program in the nation.
Recently, the 4-star prospect released his top 10 schools to Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports and Clemson made the list. However, the Tigers are going to have to beat out some tough competition in this recruiting battle.
Also on Pickett's list are Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Auburn. That means that Clemson will have to put its absolute best foot forward if Pickett is going to eventually become a Tiger.
Pickett is a 6-foot-4, 288-pound interior offensive lineman. 247Sports' composite rankings list him as the No. 340 player in the nation for the class of 2026 regardless of position. He's also the No. 25 interior offensive lineman in his class and the No. 48 player in the state of Florida, a talent-rich area for football recruiting.
NEWS: Four-Star IOL Canon Pickett is down to 🔟 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 17, 2025
The 6’5 310 IOL from Tampa, FL is ranked as a Top 3 IOL in Florida (per On3)
Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/WYTvDZe9mk pic.twitter.com/4eG4MJg0wt
Currently, seven of the 19 offensive linemen on Clemson's football roster are listed as either juniors or seniors meaning they will be either gone or in their final season of eligibility by the time the 2026 class arrives. On the other hand, nine current Clemson offensive linemen are either true freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
In other words, the program is in a good spot when it comes to its depth at the offensive line position. However, continually adding more pieces at that position group is essential.
That's because offensive linemen are the hardest players in the sport to project. It is extremely difficult to know which 18-year-old recruit is going to be able to put on enough quality weight to be able to stand up against high-end pass rushers while also maintaining the mobility needed to play the position.
Therefore, building an offensive line is as much of a numbers game as it is anything else. The more quality options a program brings into the fold, the more likely it is that said program will have strong offensive line depth two, three, or four years down the road.
So keep an eye on Pickett and other offensive line prospects in the class of 2026. That position group is one of the most important in the game of football and it is one that the Tigers are trying to reinforce through the high school ranks.