Analyst Gives Brutal Take on Clemson's Recruiting Following 5-Star's Snub

After Clemson was snubbed by a five-star offensive lineman, there have been some analysts coming after Dabo Swinney and the Tigers for their recruiting philosophy.

Feb 28, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney speaks with media before the first day of Spring practice at Poe Indoor Practice Facility at the Allen N. Reeves football complex / Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers still have some work to do on the recruiting trail before they wrap up their 2025 class. They have their sights set on a talented wide receiver and a couple other top targets to ensure they finish with one of the best groups in the nation.

But, their chances took a major hit following getting snubbed by 2025 five-star offensive lineman David Sanders Jr.

The 6-foot-6, 285-pounder is a consensus Top 10 player in the class by the four major recruiting sites, and is ranked No. 1 at his position by everyone except On3.

For a long time, Clemson was seen as the likely landing spot for Sanders with 247Sports going so far as to put a Crystal Ball pick in favor of the Tigers.

However, they were dealt a tough blow when the elite lineman put out his top four schools and Clemson was shockingly not included.

Instead, it featured Georgia, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Nebraska.

That has prompted 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst, Cooper Petagna, to offer a brutal take on the state of the Tigers' recruiting process as it currently stands.

No. 1 OT prospect in the country. Clemson was considered the leader not too long ago. Now out of the top four.

Traditional recruiting can only get you so far with the top 1% in today’s game. https://t.co/zQ4HIwxdZo

— Cooper Petagna (@cpetagna247) July 8, 2024

The "traditional recruiting" he's referring to is not utilizing NIL into their pitch.

Swinney has stayed away from promising NIL funds to incoming freshman, instead focusing on building the team culture and the importance of education instead of individual finances.

That traditional philosophy has caused many to become critical of the two-time national champion for being stubborn about the ever-changing landscape of college football.

What's interesting to think about regarding Petagna's comments is if Clemson can continue to operate how they have in the past and still be a top program in the nation who competes for titles.

The Tigers have put together a solid recruiting class in 2025, but based on some of the tough results they have gotten in the processes for many of their targets, their standing towards the top of recruiting rankings has taken a hit and could fall substantially when things are finalized.

They haven't landed a five-star player in this cycle, meaning Petagna could be right when it comes to their approach when trying to sign these elite high school players.

Clemson can still compete in their conference by not consistently landing Top 5 classes. They'll likely always be in the mix to make the College Football Playoff in this expanded era.

But will they truly be national championship contenders?

That's the question that Swinney, his staff, and the university need to be asking.