June 15, 2026, was circled on every recruiting calendar in America, but nobody was more ready than Clemson. As soon as the clock struck midnight and the open contact period for the class of 2028 began, defensive line coach Nick Eason was already on the attack, making sure the Tigers were first in line.
At the very first moment possible, the Tigers pounced, firing off a scholarship offer to the nation’s top interior defensive force, five-star wrecking ball Prince Che. Clemson wasn’t just in the mix—they were leading the charge.
Che wasted no time letting the world know about his midnight Clemson offer, blasting it out on Instagram and putting every other program on notice: the Tigers are coming hard for his signature.
The Blueprint of a Five-Star Force
Che, out of Thomas County Central in Thomasville, Georgia, is the kind of interior monster every Tiger fan dreams about. At 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds of pure muscle, he explodes off the line and moves with the kind of quickness that just isn’t fair for a guy his size.
The recruiting experts all agree—this kid is a blue-chipper through and through:
- 247Sports Composite National Rank: No. 19 overall player in America for the 2028 cycle.
- Position Ranking: No. 3 defensive lineman in the country.
- State Ranking: No. 2 overall recruit in the hyper-competitive Georgia landscape.
From Under-the-Radar to State Champion
Che might be a household name now, but he earned every bit of it. As a freshman, he barely saw the field, grinding away on the sidelines while others got the spotlight. That work ethic is what turned him into the recruiting juggernaut he is today.
However, a dominant spring evaluation circuit in May 202But everything changed after a monster spring evaluation in May 2025, when he racked up 11 offers in a hurry. Then, as a sophomore, Che unleashed havoc all over Georgia, putting up video game numbers on defense:terback Pressures
- 4.0 Sacks
Che put the exclamation point on his sophomore year by leading his defense to a GHSA 5A State Championship win over Gainesville—the same squad led by future Clemson quarterback Kharim Hughley. That’s Tiger talent colliding at the highest level.
The Early Tiger Advantage
After that title run, Che’s phone blew up with offers—over 35 and counting—from the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, and Oregon. Every blue blood in the country wants him.
But even with all that attention, Clemson is out front early. Che’s already made several trips to the Upstate, soaking in the electric Death Valley atmosphere for big-time showdowns against SMU and Florida State. The Tiger experience is making a mark.
The Rivals Prediction Machine has Clemson sitting pretty at the top, with a 32.2% shot to land Che—well ahead of Florida and Georgia. The Tigers are setting the pace.
Crafting the 2028 Defensive Front
Che is just the 10th player Dabo and his staff have offered in the 2028 class, showing once again how Clemson only goes after the best of the best.
By making Che a priority the second the clock hit midnight, Nick Eason is building the next great Tiger defensive front. Che now stands alongside a handpicked group of 2028 front-seven studs: five-star edge Asher Ghioto, defensive tackle Cavin Bates, and three-star edge rusher Quinn Jacobs, who just happens to be the younger brother of current Clemson tackle Brayden Jacobs.
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