Dabo Swinney comments on Clemson's early enrollees
No one is saying you have to enroll early to be successful in college football. Heck, Tyler Davis enrolled at Clemson this past summer and was the team's best wideout, but it can certainly become the norm for most top players and can help jumpstart their development.
Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney discussed what it means to have the new players with the team during bowl prep and in the spring.
No. 22 Clemson will face Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Dec. 29, Noon, ESPN)
"Looking at the class, you know, we've got 22 total signees, 15 of them are going to be mid-year. So I think that's really exciting. Several of those guys are going to meet us at the bowl, you know, they changed that rule last year to where guys could come in and get some practice with you and come to the bowl with you the whole deal," said Swinney. " [The early enrollees] can't play, but can be a part of the process. And that's just really helpful because you go ahead and start getting some guys acclimated and start you know, making the transition with them, and for some of these guys to be able to spend a little time [with older players], like Champ Thompson for example. He's been here the last couple of days and for him to have a few days or a week with with Tyler Davis, I mean, that's pretty cool."
As reported by Chapel Fowler at The State, Clemson will have 15 early enrollees:
- LB Sammy Brown
- K Nolan Hauser
- RB David Eziomume
- WR Bryant Wesco Jr.
- CB Corian Gipson
- CB Tavoy Feagin
- OL Elyjah Thurmon
- OL Mason Wade
- OL Watson Young
- OL Ronan O’Connell
- DE Adam Kissayi
- DT Champ Thompson
- S Ricardo Jones
- S Joe Wilkinson
- S Noah Dixon
"I will say this," continued Swinney. "I mean, it's awesome to be able to start that process for them. And honestly, the mid-year thing is just, it's a function of the portal. You know, there are so many of these high school kids, it's almost like if they're not a mid-year, they get they get pushed aside. You know, because everybody... they want these guys right now. It's really impacted the high school recruiting from that standpoint. So you're gonna continue to see that. 15 mid-years, I mean, that's like a norm now, right? And even more for some places especially you know, if you bring in a bunch portal guys, so you know, it just depends on who they are, where they are, you know, developmentally maturity-wise, especially, you know, their focus, because there's a lot that comes with it, but I've seen both, you know, guys come in mid-year, it really pays off and they play and I've seen guys come in mid-year and they don't work quite like they need to."
