Clemson Tigers Sinking in Recent College Football Recruiting Class Rankings

The Clemson Tigers are heading in the wrong direction of the college football recruiting class rankings.

Nov 30, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney talks at a press conference after the game at Memorial Stadium. / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

While the Clemson Tigers are preparing for the ACC Championship Game this weekend against the SMU Mustangs, with a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line, there are other tasks that need attention this week.

The early signing period for the sport begins on Wednesday. While many of the top recruits have already announced commitments, there are always players who will de-commit or flip late in the process, which could have major ramifications.

We have already seen one huge change, as the No. 1 player in the 2025 class, quarterback Bryce Underwood, flipped his commitment from the LSU Tigers to the Michigan Wolverines, fueled by massive amounts of money in NIL deals.

Unfortunately for Clemson, having commitments flip is something they know all too well in this recruiting period.

Quarterback Blake Herbert, who is ranked No. 270 in the ESPN 300, opted to sign with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on October 14, leaving behind the Tigers.

Bryce Davis, a defensive lineman and the No. 83 ranked player by ESPN was another major loss. He ended up committing to one of Clemson’s ACC rivals, the Duke Blue Devils. 

Given the track record Dabo Swinney and his staff have developing players at that position, it was certainly a surprise to see Davis flip.

Those players departing previously have played a role in the Tigers’ recruiting class rank continually heading in the wrong direction. In the updated rankings shared by Craig Haubert of ESPN, they sank again.

They are now ranked No. 33, dropping from No. 25 previously. Running back Gideon Davidson is the best offensive player in the class and will be joined by another dynamic back to help offset the loss of Phil Mafah, who is playing out his senior season.

“Despite ranking just 15th for the 2024 cycle, the Tigers have already checked several boxes in 2025 with big commitments at multiple positions. Gideon Davidson and in-state prospect Marquise Henderson are a pair of key running back pledges. Davidson, a top-five running back, runs with a nice blend of size, speed and power. He posted impressive numbers as a junior, rushing for 2,700 yards and 43 touchdowns. Henderson is more slightly built at roughly 5-10, 170 pounds, but has explosive, big-play speed. He rushed for more than 2,300 yards as a junior.”

On the defensive side of the ball is where Clemson’s highest-ranked prospect is. Defensive tackle Amare Adams is the No. 58 ranked player by ESPN and No. 1 in the state of South Carolina.

“Ari Watford is a lengthy player with good initial quickness who can develop into a disruptive edge rusher…Four-star Makhi Williams-Lee is another strong pickup for the defensive front as he is an explosive and disruptive lineman who notched double-digit TFLs and sacks as a junior.”

The class ranking can certainly change, and Swinney sure hopes that it does. Because he doesn’t use the transfer portal, this is the only way for him to infuse talent onto his roster.

If the Tigers don’t have success on the high school recruiting trail, their depth will be greatly impacted unless their leader changes his stance on the portal.