Swinney Camp Insider VII
CLEMSON -- The Dabo Swinney Camp marched into the weekend with an opening session Friday afternoon.Last week's sessions were essentially a pair of one-day camps.
This weekend's event was a much different scene as far as volume and logistics. More than 1,200 high school kids were registered for the full three-day session, and the registration line wrapped from Perimeter Road around the stadium. Just nuts.
Sift through it all, though, and you could spot a few gems ...
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We are now in position to share that arguably the headliner for the weekend is in for an overnight stay.
Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian four-star junior running back Gideon Davidson worked out for C.J. Spiller.
Davidson (5-11, 185), ranked No. 86 nationally by Rivals.com, landed Clemson's first and only 2025 running back offer last week.
Subscribers are aware that we began framing Davidson as a prototypical Clemson fit last fall
He has been to multiple Swinney Camps before, attended the program's underclassmen day in April, and then returned for the spring game two weeks later.
On May 30 -- one day before Clemson offered -- Davidson said he had a top three and would announce his destination June 14.
"You might be surprised!" he wrote.
We've withheld the italics, frankly, only to reserve them for after the official visit weekend.
Davidson, now a public projection to Clemson by Tigerillustrated.com, reached back for a nice twisting catch in drills that drew plenty of oohs and ahhhs from his peers.
Spiller doing work early again.
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As we reported, one of Clemson's junior offensive line offers -- Buford (Ga.) four-star Brayden Jacobs -- would be in town for the full three-day session.
Jacobs (6-7, 318), ranked No. 51 in the country, obviously has tackle specs. We think he could profile inside or out.
He's technically sound, moves his feet relatively well. Just the kind of lineman whom, if you're trying to upgrade to a big-boy caliber of elite offensive line, that you want.
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The Tigers are again reaching into Texas to engage with an intriguing option.
Addison (Texas) Trinity Christian Academy's Jaylan Beckley was on campus touring the facilities with his family.
Beckley (6-5, 285) picked up an offer Thursday in his visit with Georgia.
LSU offered last week, joining Mississippi State, Houston and Duke.
Beckley is coming off his first year of playing football. Texas has gotten involved, while Beckley visits Oklahoma next week.
Others whom we mentioned would be checking out the campus included Philadelphia (Penn.) Imhotep high-four star end Zahir Mathis and Birmingham (Ala.) Parker corner Timothy Merritt.
Another on hand was Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County athlete/defensive back Darrell Johnson.
Johnson (6-1, 195) collected offers from South Carolina and Florida State last month.
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London Merritt
As advertised, a couple of offered defensive linemen were also among the marquee attendants.
College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star defensive end London Merritt and Snow Hill (N.C.) Greene Central four-star defensive tackle Isaiah Campbell trained in the same group.
Campbell (6-4, 265), ranked No. 191 overall, will still have to fill in considerably for the position in college, but he's got plenty of room on his frame.
But what sticks about him everywhere we've seen him, he's a motor guy who's focused and there to go to work. Good length.
He's not where he needs to be yet. But we like the upside.
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A nugget to which I'm sure no one will overreact ...
Former Clemson coordinator Jeff Scott, who moved back into the area after leaving USF, is working the camp.
Pleasantly surprised with what we saw from Palmetto (Fla.) junior receiver Adonis Moise to put him in the category of tracking as the cycle goes along.
Moise (6-0, 180) snagged offers last month from Pittsburgh, Boston College, West Virginia, UCF and Vanderbilt.
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