NIL isn't Swinney's Top Selling Point to Recruits, but Clemson's Helping Players Maximize Opportunities

Dabo Swinney: "I wouldn't say (NIL) helped us" with 2022 recruiting class.

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Despite name, image and likeness being one of the most dominant topics in college football right now, it wasn't much of a factor in Dabo Swinney's 2022 recruiting class.

The Clemson head football coach signed 20 prospects, including seven newcomers Wednesday, and a top-10 class in the first recruiting cycle since the NCAA allowed college players to profit. 

"I wouldn't say (NIL) helped us," Swinney said. "We're never going to recruit leading with NIL. That’s an opportunity. We certainly have an opportunity to help anybody that wants to participate and use their name, image and likeness however they want to. But we always lead with who we are as a program, the purpose of this program.

"I don't think many people are going to come here, at least I hope they don't, because of the NIL. I hope they come here because this is the university they want to be a part of, the program they want to be a part of, the people they want to be a part of."

Does that mean Swinney is ignoring something that's made national headlines this week? Of course not. He understands the need to help the players handle this newfound income, and he believes it's the responsibility of his program to "navigate this landscape". 

Swinney said a new facility will be added on to the massive building that houses the football program strictly for NIL education. Construction begins next week, and this summer, he plans to hire a football-only liaison who will help players maximize the ability to use NIL as a financial benefit. 

"We’ve got some really good opportunities for our current team and our future team," Swinney said. "There will be things that will be said publicly at the right time, but we’re in a good place.” 

Alabama coach Nick Saban and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin were critical of other programs that are believed to be essentially buying recruiting classes. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher felt like the Aggies were the target of the other coaches' ire, and he emphatically defended his program Wednesday after he signed the No. 1 class in the country.

"To have coaches in our league and across this league to say it, clown acts, irresponsible as hell," Fisher said. "Multiple coaches in our league and the guys griping about NIL and transfer portal are using it the most and bragging about it the most. That's the ironic part. ... It's a joke. It does piss me off."

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