Dabo Swinney just pulled off another recruiting masterclass, turning this past weekend’s official visits into a Tiger tidal wave that swept up the Southeast. By Monday night, Clemson fans were celebrating four huge commitments for the 2027 class, each one a statement win over our biggest rivals and a sign that the Tigers are locking down the region’s top talent on offense and defense.
This red-hot run rockets Clemson’s 2027 class to 19 total commits, planting the Tigers firmly at No. 14 in the national rankings and right on Miami’s heels for the ACC crown.
Desmond Malpress | 4-Star EDGE (Florida)
The Essentials: 6-foot-3, 205 lbs | No. 147 overall player nationally | No. 16 Edge Rusher
The Buzz: Chris Rumph is on fire. Just 48 hours after reeling in Santana Harvey, Rumph stormed back into Florida and snatched another blue-chip pass rusher. Malpress picked the Tigers over a who’s who of regional foes, including South Carolina and Florida State.
The Turning Point: South Carolina looked like the team to beat after Malpress’s early May visit, but Clemson’s staff flipped the script in Death Valley this weekend. By Sunday, all the recruiting insiders were calling it for the Tigers. Even with just six games as a junior, Malpress was a menace—10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.
JJ Brown | 4-Star Offensive Tackle (Georgia)
The Essentials: 6-foot-6, 280 lbs | Top-30 player in the state of Georgia | No. 24 Offensive Tackle
The Buzz: Brown sent shockwaves through the recruiting world Monday night, going live on Rivals to pledge to Clemson and slam the door on Georgia, Auburn, and Kentucky before they could even get him on campus for official visits.
The Turning Point: Georgia rolled out the red carpet for Brown with six unofficial visits, and everyone pegged the Dawgs as the frontrunner. But Matt Luke worked his magic in Tiger Town, landing Brown as the first true tackle in this class. He’ll join forces with fellow Peach State product Elijah Morrison, who jumped on board just before the weekend fireworks.
Luke Starcevic | 4-Star Athlete / Line Specialist (North Dakota)
The Essentials: 6-foot-5, 250 lbs | No. 156 overall player nationally | No. 2 recruit in North Dakota
The Buzz: Starcevic spurned Notre Dame and Kansas State to join the Tigers. He’s a two-way wrecking ball who piled up 26.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks as a sophomore, and Kansas State chased him hard as an edge rusher for nearly two years.
The Plan: Matt Luke and Chad Morris made the trek to North Dakota in April to see Starcevic up close. The Tigers have a special plan for him—he’ll start out using his athleticism at tight end, then bulk up and move to offensive tackle, just like former Clemson great Eric Mac Lain.
Nicholas Pollack | 3-Star Tight End (Georgia)
The Essentials: 6-foot-3, 220 lbs | No. 63 Tight End nationally
The Buzz: Clemson’s tight end group got a boost Monday when Pollack picked the Tigers over Cincinnati, Wake Forest, and East Carolina. He’s the second North Oconee (GA) standout to join the class, teaming up with safety Harrison Luke.
The Bloodlines: Pollack’s got football in his DNA—his dad is Georgia legend and college football analyst David Pollack. Nicholas played plenty of linebacker in high school, but Kyle Richardson plans to unleash him as a weapon at tight end next to fellow 2027 commit Carter Blackwell.
The 2027 Class at a Glance
With more dominoes set to fall soon, Clemson has built a rock-solid foundation heading into the summer.
19 total commits (with more than half joining the family in just the last two weeks)
Firmly ranked No. 14 nationally and charging hard toward the Top 10
Matt Luke’s O-line haul: Four commits and counting, anchored by blue-chip tackles and athletic big men.
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