No, Clemson could not catch a break on the recruiting front during its bye week. According to Tiger Illustrated, linebacker RJ Hudson has de-committed from the program. The three-star prospect out of Richmond, Va. had been committed to Clemson since June 19. While he ultimately decided to go with Clemson over Maryland, another program has entered the fray for him very late into the game.
Unfortunately, it does seem as though he looks to be leaning toward Texas now. With the Red River Rivalry in full swing, the timing of this all could not be any worse. Hudson may have been another unheralded recruit, but he was one of 25 players committed to Clemson's cause for 2027. It just goes to show that Clemson is not in a position to compete financially whenever Texas enters the mix now.
This is at least the second tough news Clemson has received on the recruiting front this week. With four-star interior offensive lineman Sam Walker committing to Georgia Tech out of Carrollton, Ga. earlier in the week, Clemson could definitely use a win on the recruiting trail right now. It has been so hard for Clemson to build any momentum for its 2028 class. Now, it has defectors from its 2027 class.
🚨BREAKING🚨 LB RJ Hudson has decommitted from Clemson, @TIinClemson reports🐅
— Rivals (@Rivals) October 9, 2026
Read: https://t.co/EhKjHTd2Je pic.twitter.com/yOWpRsHWri
Dabo Swinney must embrace using the transfer portal even more so now
For years, Dabo Swinney and his staff had been able to go toe-to-toe with any prospective recruit it wanted out of high school. Frankly, Clemson still carries a great deal of clout out of the high school ranks. Unfortunately, the wonderful world of NIL has taken a turn, and has left Clemson in a less-than-advantageous place. Clemson is not competing with Texas for players anymore. It has been lapped.
The worst part of it all is there is not much Clemson can honestly do about it. All things equal, Texas will always be able to spend more than Clemson. The Longhorns have a bigger pocketbook, a larger alumni base, and greater resources than Clemson fans could ever imagine. It is what it is, but there is a way Clemson can counter to make up the difference somehow, someway: using the transfer portal.
Although Clemson has been an incredibly late adapter to the portal, it has started to see the fruits of its labor in that regard of late, especially on defense. Clemson chose to add 10 players on that side of the football this offseason. While not all of them have hit, many of them have. This has helped Tom Allen really take charge of his defensive unit more so than he could in Year 1 coming over to Clemson.
At this stage of the game, potentially losing Hudson to an emerging power in Texas stinks. Clemson put in the hard work to land him, and it does not look like that effort will pan out for them. While winning out of high school can still be of great importance for Swinney and the Tigers, this just places a greater emphasis on acquiring players by way of the transfer portal even more so now. Adapt or die!
Hudson can do whatever he chooses in recruitment, but Clemson has to see the cracks in its armor.
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