Josh Belk, Justin Mascoll, BT Potter, Jackson Carman, Derion Kendrick, Trevor Lawrence, Xavier Thomas and Kyler McMichael all represented the 2018 Clemson class at the Army All American Bowl.
With a staggering 8 signees in Saturday's US Army All-American Bowl, the Tigers had the most representation at the event in program history. With that game a couple of days behind us and the recruiting dead period in full effect for a few more days, I thought I'd use this week's Radar to take a look at the Tigers early enrollees--so many of whom played in the All-American game on Saturday--who are moving to campus this very moment.
****Breaking Down the Early
Enrollees
Kyler McMichael
Physically advanced for his age at 6’1 and 190 pounds, McMichael
is going to make Brent Venables and Mike Reed very happy if he is able to come
in and pick up on the scheme. We are talking a player that could contribute in
his true freshman season.
Kyler starred two ways in high school, as he was also a very productive running back in the Metro Atlanta area, where he played for Greater Atlanta Christian and was Player of the Week on numerous occasions.
The combination of size, speed and athletic prowess that Kyler
will bring with him to Clemson is just what the doctor ordered for the position.
McMichael, along with a host of other Clemson signees, just took
part in the US Army All-American Bowl and is now on campus. He and several
others will participate in spring practice, so we will find out soon if he has
a chance to play as a freshman.
Trevor Lawrence
What can you say about the all-world QB from the Peach State
that has not already been said? In what seems like a prodigious type of
development, the Cartersville, GA native has been getting this type of press
and accolades since his days as an 8th grader. A starter in high school since
his freshman season, Lawrence has the experience that winning over 50 games in
the prep ranks brings with it, along with breaking all of Deshaun Watson’s
Georgia state records in the meantime. Not bad for a kid that also stands 6’6
and already weighs 210 pounds!
Some analysts have gone as far as to say he’s the best quarterback
prospect to ever come across the rating system. That’s some high praise, and it
puts Trevor in very rare air. At the same time, it will bring with him an
expectation level that may be unenviable, as the fan base and recruitniks
alike are all expecting the 2018 signee to come in and compete almost upon
arrival for the starting job current held by rising senior Kelly Bryant.
Can the young man come in and live up to all the hype? Stay
tuned right here, as we will have our ear to the ground in Clemson to see what
we are hearing from winter conditioning and coming soon…spring football!
B.T. Potter
The state’s premier kicker is also considered one of top in the nation to boot, no pun intended. A teammate of fellow signee and US Army All-American participant Derion Kendrick, the Rock Hill star has seen his own success in High School as his South Pointe team has made back-to-back appearances in the state title game.
A standout at all the regional and national kicking camp events,
Potter was invited to the US Army All-American Bowl and, in his performance at
practice and in the game, has shown the nation what Dabo Swinney and staff saw
prior to dispensing a rare offer to a kicker. The Tigers’ past M.O. has been to
offer preferred walk-on status to kickers and save those scholarships for other
roster needs.
That tells you how much this Clemson staff thinks of Potter to
offer him a scholarship in this small class and so early in the process. Not to
mention that Potter is also an in-state kid who grew up a fan of the Clemson program.
In the past, all of those factors would be the formula that equates to a
preferred walk-on for a kicker. But given that Potter is so highly regarded
nationally, you can see why the Tigers decided to sacrifice a precious
scholarship for one of the nation’s premier kickers. And in case anyone needed
a reminder on how critical kickers are to competing for championships, the
Tigers would have likely avoided their only regular season loss at Syracuse,
but they lost starting kicker Greg Huegel days before the game, and backup Alex
Spence missed two very makeable field goals in a 3-point loss.
Potter will get to come in and compete this spring with Alex
Spence and former starter Greg Huegel, who is returning from the aforementioned
season-ending knee surgery. So Potter will get his “at bats,” and will have the
chance to showcase his skills among two experienced starters.
Josh Belk
One of the most underrated and under-the-radar prospects (if
that’s possible at 6’3, 290 pounds) is Josh Belk out of Lewisville High School
here in the Palmetto State. He’s a big-time DT prospect and the prototypical
run-stuffer and space-eater that programs like Clemson crave—the kind of player
that can walk in and possibly see the field as soon as next fall.
The strength is there, but it’s raw and needs to be
refined. Belk is super coachable and has
the drive to learn the ins and outs of the position. I predict you will see the
Midlands big man on the field sooner rather than later. Think of a hybrid cross
between current Tiger DT Albert Huggins and former Tiger great and Super Bowl
star Grady Jarrett with a little Rashaad Jackson tossed in there, and you’ll
get an idea of what Belk brings to the defensive line.
Justin Mascoll
The one no one talks about, Mascoll quietly had another big season
in the Peach State. He was All-Region and again topped the charts of many
analysts, such as yours truly, who had the chance to see him in person. Mascoll
was rated as one the nation’s top defensive ends and was also a participant at
the US Army All-American game in San Antonio. He showed on national television
why the Tigers coveted the quiet big man.
If you want to compare him to a past Tiger, I see another
Mallicaih Goodman with all that length and deceptive speed off the edge. The
wing-span stands out, and he eats up the space out there as he’s setting the
edge. I see a red shirt year because the DE rotation is going to be heavy with
competition, but the Tigers have added another stud to the defensive end
assembly line for which they have become known.
Xavier Thomas
The Palmetto State product is no stranger to the Clemson fan
base as one of the most visible recruits on social media, and his success in all-star
events is notable going back to 2016. Most recently, he was named Lineman of
the Year and recipient of the Anthony Munoz Award at the US Army All-American Bowl.
Xavier is a candidate to come in and contribute as a true freshman.
He brings that rare combo of speed and strength to go with a heavyweight frame.
At 6’3 and close to 270 pounds the nation’s #1 defensive end can really be a
force off the edge and has proven at times to be unblockable at the high school
level. Not since Jadeveon Clowney has the state produced a prospect with this
much buzz in his senior year of high school. Although Thomas played his senior
season at the prestigious football factory IMG Academy in Florida, he was a
fixture in Death Valley throughout the fall.
Thomas is now on campus and will be able to go through winter
conditioning and spring practice, giving him the opportunity to get ahead of
the curve and be ready to contribute on the field later in 2018 when the Tigers
run down The Hill to take on Furman on an hot September day soon to come, with
a big early road game at Texas A&M to follow!
Jake Venables
Jake was an almost guaranteed commitment to the Tigers from the
start, as the Clemson native and son of Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables
was expected to pick the Tigers over offers from Oklahoma, TCU and SMU to go
with a few others. Other staffs basically knew that it was forgone conclusion
Jake would join his father at Clemson and just stopped recruiting the Daniel
High and Shrine Bowl star.
Venables has been a mainstay in the weight room in the past 18
months and managed to transform himself, putting on no less than 30-40 pounds
of muscle and keep the lateral speed that set him apart in the past at his
position. In high school, Jake was asked to quarterback the defense and do all
he could—including lining up in the slot at times, covering wide receivers out
of his position.
It’s difficult to compare Jake to a past Tigers, but if I had to
come up with one it would probably be the likes of a Jonathan “Tig” Willard,
another underrated in-state product that developed on campus and ended up in
the NFL for a short span. Stay tuned, as Jake will be a red shirt candidate and
another player that, by the time he starts to contribute, I think it will be on
special teams to start. And on from there to the linebacking corps. It’s the
same route current Tiger linebackers Jamie Skalski, Chad Smith and Shaq Smith have
all been brought along.
Derion Kendrick
The state of South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year led
his South Point (Rock Hill) team to yet another state championship appearance and
was the team’s quarterback, as the athletic prodigy and football phenom was a
one-man highlight film at times in the 2017 season.
Kendrick put his team on his back on a weekly basis, and his
freakish speed and vision had him looking like a man among boys at times. When
playing his recruited position of wide receiver, he Shrine Bowler and US Army
All-American was uncoverable when this analyst had the pleasure to scout him in
person.
Think Ray-Ray meets Sammy Watkins. Kendrick has smoothness of
McCloud and the lightning explosiveness and physicality of a Watkins. It’s all
wrapped up in a 6’0 package that needs to see the weight room and put on a few
needed pounds to add to the durability he is going to need at the next level.
Stay tuned, as he will surely be a scout team legend this time
next year if he does red shirt, which we expect at this time. He will need to learn
the position and acclimate to the strength and conditioning program that Coach
Batson will have for him.
Jackson Carman
All-World tackle and the latest addition to the 2018 Clemson class,
Jackson Carman is a player that the Tigers coveted for a long time. Never in
recent years could they have walked into the heart of Ohio State’s recruiting
footprint, going head-to-head with the perennial Big Ten powerhouse and win, but
in this case, the Tigers did just that. In doing so, they landed the nation’s
#1 offensive tackle in the process.
Clemson Signees and US Army All-Americans Trevor Lawrence, Jackson Carman and Kyler McMichael
Carman is a freak—a rare combination of size and power with the
feet of a tight end on a man that is 320 pounds and a 6’4 wall of a human. By
picking the Tigers, Carman surprised many in his home state, as many of the
recruiting services had him pegged as a Buckeye after many visits to the
Columbus campus over the season. But it was the tug of the Tigers and the idea that
he could be a part of an historic class at Clemson, along with the thought of
joining fellow 5-stars Lawrence, Henry and Thomas, that was more than enough to
send the big man from Ohio down south.
Look for Jackson to come in and compete right away for playing time in 2018. Personally, I cannot wait for spring ball and some of the “Oklahoma” drills or Paw drills, as the Tigers call them, that pit lineman against each other. Carman vs Big Dex will be one everyone will be waiting to see in mid-March!
Darnell Jefferies
Jefferies is a full grown man in an 18-year-old body. The Newton,
Georgia native is another one who was late to bloom in the recruiting process
but as soon as the Tigers got Darnell to commit, the rest of the Power Five
took notice—especially in the southeast—and then came to the table with their
own offers and selling points.
But the Peach State defensive tackle stood tall on his Clemson
commitment and was very influential in getting his nearby friend Justin Mascoll
to join the fold. The two traveled
together to multiple events in Clemson and were attached at the hip from a
social media standpoint. Jefferies also finished All-Region and was a player
that was about as underrated as they could come in this analyst’s opinion.
In a state loaded with talent, this is one prospect that the prognosticators
and raters got wrong. I can see Jefferies getting on the field in 2018 if he
can pick up coach Todd Bates’ scheme quickly.
Physically, he’s advanced beyond his age and ready to contribute right
now, and the Tigers are going to be losing All-American Christian Wilkins at
DT.
K.J. Henry
5-Star DE K.J. Henry committed to the Tigers on the 20th of
December on the first-ever Early Signing Day, but he was projected to Clemson
by this analyst as early as last June. The Tigers were confident in their long-standing
relationship with him. They were the first to see the potential and offer the
Tar Heel State standout, and that relationship would stand the test of time. The
Tigers’ efforts paid off in the end, as the staff got its bookend defensive end
to place on the opposite Xavier Thomas, continuing a trend of NFL-ready defensive
ends coming to Clemson to fill spots left by underclassmen taking their talents
to the next level.
In Henry, you get a fast-twitch player with great length and the
“motor” you like to hear about—a never-ending drive and effort guy to go with
all the physical tools. Now, he does
need to see the weight room and add to the frame he has, but he can be a player
that will also sniff early entry to the NFL himself one day if he gets on
campus and is “All In,” to use a phrase popular in Clemson. Stay tuned, as we
will report on Henry’s progress in the coming months.
Mike Jones, Jr.
Henry was the latest commitment for the Tigers, and then there
was Mike Jones. Jr., the very first commitment of the 2018 class—a player who
pledged after a Dabo Swinney Camp stop back in 2016 and stood the ultimate test
of time. Jones was highly responsible for the efforts that ended up landing 5-star
IMG Academy teammate Xavier Thomas. Since then. the two have led the way in
recruiting for the Tigers among their high school gridiron peers. They were
social media Clemson cheerleaders to say the least.
On the football field, the 6’1, 210-pound linebacker is a
natural leader, and Mike played the Mike position like he was made for it. In
college, I see him moving outside in the mold of a Kendall Joseph and use his athleticism
and natural instinct to find the football and lead him onto the field with a
potentially productive career as a Tiger. For now, I foresee another candidate
for a red shirt with Skalski, Chad Smith, Shaq Smith and the Davis twins moving
up in the ranks. Stay tuned, as we track Mike and the rest of the early
enrollees as they join the roster and prepare for their first Spring as Clemson
Football Players.
****ZION WATCH 2018
Recent developments in the recruitment of all-world basketball
recruit Zion Williamson have Clemson deeply embedded in the mix for the Palmetto
State star who is coveted by every single big-time program in the nation. The
likes of Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina and Kansas are all vying for the
program changer to sign with them along with in-state South Carolina.
Zion Williamson in Death Valley before the Clemson win over Auburn
Zion has announced a commitment date of January 20th and is
trending heavily as of late towards the Orange and White of the in-state Tigers.
Blue bloods Kentucky, Duke and Kansas are also heavily in consideration. So stay
tuned right here, as a commitment from Williamson would mark the highest rated one
in program history should it all come to fruition. With two weeks left on the
“Zion Watch,” we probing our sources and will update you again with the latest
news as it comes out of Spartanburg!
The date is set
?? pic.twitter.com/BqzjJJpeiz
****New Offer in California
God’s Good! Blessed to say I’ve been offered a
scholarship to Clemson University! #ALLIN
???????????? pic.twitter.com/wsh6oFFXY7
Clemson reached way out to the other side of the country with its latest 2018 offer for 2018 cornerback prospect Olaijah Griffin out of Mission Viejo, Ca. He is a former UCLA commit who has opened things back up recently after the staff changes occurred when UCLA hired Chip Kelly. Word has it that Griffin will trip into Clemson and take an Official Visit, but there are a lot of ties to the west coast and other programs in the Pac-12 and Big-12 to overcome. But the fact that the staff has Griffin coming in says a lot, so stay tuned here at CUTigers.com, as we will monitor this one from here on out!
****This Week’s Tweets
The date is set
?? pic.twitter.com/BqzjJJpeiz
Proud of my young man @jthegreat_ pic.twitter.com/A9iuAjRfOa
— Mark Mascoll (@markmascoll) January 6, 2018
My boy Thunder #ArmyBowl (@rlacey23 ) pic.twitter.com/J59LMcfI6Y
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) January 3, 2018
That’s my QB !!! Even tho i was in his face ???? You see that accuracy https://t.co/JM3Ifyrss7
— Xavier Thomas (@atxlete) January 2, 2018
Next chapter ????????...
— K5 ???? (@thekjhenry_) January 7, 2018
Top 5???? (Not In Order ) pic.twitter.com/Yv1LvbO6lW
— 9 (@boimarv9) January 5, 2018
5-star QB Trevor Lawrence @Trevorlawrencee (#Clemson signee)
— Hiro Katsuki (@NittanyEagles) January 6, 2018
to
4-star RB signee James Cook @thegreat__4 (#Georgia signee)#ArmyBowl pic.twitter.com/F7hPI0Wcst
Salute the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2018, Cartersville HS QB @Trevorlawrencee on being named the @USArmy Player of the Year ????? #ArmyBowl pic.twitter.com/NXhhxDv9eT
— #ArmyBowl (@ArmyAllAmerican) January 6, 2018
Salute IMG Academy DL @atxlete on being the recipient of the 2018 Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year Award ????? pic.twitter.com/XJkS8DtedD
— #ArmyBowl (@ArmyAllAmerican) January 6, 2018
#ArmyBowl Media Day: JOSH BELK
College: CLEMSON
Position: DT
HS: Lewisville, SC
By All Accts @Jbelk50 has been amongst THE MOST DOMINATING forces inGod’s Good! Blessed to say I’ve been offered a scholarship to Clemson University! #ALLIN ???????????? pic.twitter.com/wsh6oFFXY7
— G-CHILD (@OlaijahGriffin) January 3, 2018
wsrc%5Etfw">#BowlWeek Practice. @Clemsonfb Commit ????to put on a SHOW Saturday @nbc ????@FBUcamp #TopGun ?? @ArmyallAmerican #RespectThePath pic.twitter.com/xYMLuCZPtJ
— Chad Ricardo (@RealChadRicardo) January 5, 2018
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