On the heels of Clemson football’s annual Elite Junior Day in January, head coach Dabo Swinney hosted one of the biggest recruiting weekends in Clemson history this past Saturday, with over 30 recruits visiting Tigertown.
The Tigers’ 2025 cycle is currently No. 3 in the nation behind Notre Dame and LSU, respectively. After this weekend’s Junior Day, there is a possibility of jumping both teams as Clemson is trending towards landing a handful of notable recruits in both the 2025 and 2026 recruiting cycles.
Here are a few notes from the past weekend:
David Sanders, offensive line
Sanders is currently the second-ranked recruit overall in the 2025 class and is the highest-ranked offensive lineman. The Charlotte, North Carolina, product stands at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds and would be the third offensive line commit for the Tigers this cycle if he announced his pledge to Clemson. Sanders had another “great experience” in Tigertown after being impressed by offensive line coach Matt Luke.
“The main thing I wanted to get out of this visit was seeing Coach Luke in action. It was a sight to see. That really impressed me the most.” Sanders told 247 Sports. “Just the way the guys worked and responded to his coaching style.”
Sanders has been in talks with schools such as Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and others, but Clemson may have separated itself from the pack. If Clemson plays its cards right, the Tigers could have an elite blocker for years to come.
Bryce Davis, defensive line
Bryce Davis, a top 50 defensive lineman out of Greensboro, North Carolina, took heavy note of the program’s culture.
“Today was another reassuring feeling on why I fit in with Clemson culture and that I will be developed not as a player but as a man as well,” the four-star recruit said in an interview with 247Sports.
Davis stands at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds and would be a huge addition to a high-caliber defensive line class that has already grabbed three commitments from top 50 defensive line recruits.
The Grimsley High School product has received offers from other significant programs such as Alabama, Southern California and Georgia. He is scheduled to return to Clemson for an official visit on May 31, a promising sign as Clemson and Georgia are the current favorites to land him.
Back in Death Valley this weekend🐅@CoachRumph @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/CHKF78G5AY
— Bryce Davis (@BryceDavis45) March 8, 2024
Kaleb Lanier, cornerback
Three-star cornerback Kaleb Lanier added further positive feedback from the weekend. Lanier, coming out of Decatur High School in Georgia, stands at 5-foot-11.5 and weighs 165 pounds. The Tigers have yet to offer the Georgia product but have gained major interest from Lanier.
When asked what he liked most about Clemson by 247Sports, he echoed a common sentiment from other prospects.
“How well you’re going to be coached as a football player and how equipped you will be as a man once you leave the university,” he said.
So far, Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame have shown a strong interest in Lanier. He plans on committing sometime in July.
Tae Harris, safety
The Tigers made waves over the weekend with four-star Tae Harris’ recruitment, as three 247Sports insiders, including the lead director of football recruiting, Steve Wiltfong, have made crystal ball predictions that he will eventually commit to Clemson. Harris, with an athletic 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame, is the No. 11 safety in the 2025 cycle, according to 247Sports’ rankings.
Harris, a product of Cedartown High School in western Georgia, was committed to Georgia until mid-January when he withdrew his decision. Since then, Clemson has been in hot pursuit.
“The message on campus was, ‘We need you, Tae,’” Harris told 247Sports. “I’m a priority on campus, and I appreciate that they have a good thing going on down there, with high-character people, great men.”
Clemson’s staff has made sure it shows genuine interest in Harris, even offering him the day after his decommitment to lay a solid foundation for the Tigers’ recruiting pitch. Harris plans on returning to Clemson for an official visit on May 31, in addition to visiting Ole Miss, Florida State, Georgia Tech and UCF in the upcoming months.
Micah Matthews, athlete
Clemson has kept heavy tabs on star athlete Micah Matthews, who looks to become the program’s next Will Taylor. In addition to his talent at receiver, Matthews is ranked as the No. 54 baseball prospect in the nation — he had previously committed to South Carolina for baseball but quickly rescinded his decision and is looking to be a dual-athlete wherever he attends.
Matthews, hailing out of Bridgewater, Virginia, stands at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. 247Sports has him as the No. 85 overall player in the 2025 cycle and the No. 2 athlete. North Carolina and Virginia Tech are current front-runners in his recruitment, though Clemson has not yet made an offer. Swinney and his team could move ahead of their ACC opponents following Clemson’s Junior Day, where Matthews had a chance to take in the culture.
“There’s a heavy emphasis on character and growing as mature men and not just the game of football,” Matthews said in an interview with 247Sports. He also added that he appreciated the transparency the staff had with the prospects last weekend.
This past season, Matthews hauled in 1,476 yards, over 900 of which came after catching the ball. He has the raw talent and athleticism that gives him the potential to thrive under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s system.
Kamar Archie, linebacker
Making the trip to the Upstate all the way from Trenton, New Jersey, Archie was reportedly impressed with Clemson. He reclassified from the 2024 cycle to the 2025 cycle and is currently rated as a top 30 linebacker in his class at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds.
“I love the way they use linebackers like Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter (Jr.),” he told 247Sports. Archie is similar in size and frame to Carter and Trotter, so he has a slight idea of how he may be used on the field.
Archie holds offers from many notable programs, such as Michigan, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Georgia. There are no clear favorites to land the Jersey product, but Michigan has most notably been putting in a lot of effort to land him.
