Clemson’s 2027 recruiting class surged to No. 13 in ESPN’s latest national rankings after landing a major playmaker in the secondary.
That boost comes courtesy of four-star safety Jayden Aparicio-Bailey, who gave his pledge to the Tigers this week. The Alabama standout is ranked No. 210 overall by ESPN, slots in as the No. 15 safety nationally, and holds the No. 10 spot in his home state.
With 24 commitments already locked in for 2027, Clemson sits tied for the 17th-most pledges among all FBS programs. The Tigers’ haul features 11 four-star prospects, putting them in a tie for ninth nationally in that department. Eight of those future Tigers also earned spots on the SC Next 300 list.
Clemson isn’t the only blue blood still waiting on a five-star pledge for 2027. Notre Dame, Miami, Oklahoma, Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, and LSU are all in the same boat: plenty of four-stars, but no five-stars yet. Meanwhile, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Texas, and Texas Tech have already locked down a staggering 70 percent of ESPN’s five-star talent, with the Aggies leading the pack in the team rankings.
Quarterback Kharim Hughley and defensive end Desmond Malpress headline the Tigers’ 2027 class, each earning an 82 grade from ESPN’s scouts.
Clemson’s standing holds steady across the major recruiting services. The Tigers are No. 13 in the 247Sports Composite, No. 11 in 247’s own rankings, and No. 15 in the Rivals Composite.
Within the ACC, only Miami edges out Clemson is ranked higher. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and California also made the national top 25, but the Tigers remain firmly entrenched in the league’s upper echelon.
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