TUESDAY INSIDER NOTES
By: Paul Strelow
If in-state recruiting is a prevalent theme during rivalry weekend, then this week's ACC Championship brings Clemson's 2024 receiver efforts to the forefront.
Since last summer, the Tigers have focused their intentions on two receivers from North Carolina -- both of whom attended Clemson's final home game Saturday.
Burlington (N.C.) Cummings four-star Jonathan Paylor and Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley four-star Alex Taylor accounted for Clemson's first two receiver offers for the 2024 class last June and remained the only two until St. Louis (Mo.) University five-star Ryan Wingo collected one upon visiting a week ago.
Burlington (N.C.) Cummings four-star wideout and weekend Clemson visitor Jonathan Paylor. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Pairing the Tarheel State duo as their exclusive targeted package has been intentional and proved to be part of Clemson's appeal. Here's underlining that the Tigers brought Paylor and Taylor in together for their victory against N.C. State in early October.
We have considered Taylor (6-2, 175), ranked No. 216 overall, a battle between Clemson and UNC with N.C. State hovering on the periphery.
Meanwhile, Paylor (5-9, 180) -- ranked No. 146 nationally -- is tougher to pin down.
While he released a new top 10 a week ago, you can follow the visits to safely discern most of the main contenders: He has made 2-3 trips to see Clemson, South Carolina, UNC, Tennessee and N.C. State this season, often against one another.
Based on all we've gathered, we're not sure much of a pecking order has materialized amid them.
There's also the fact distance has precluded Paylor from yet getting out to see some of his national offers, and Ohio State in particular holds his interest. It is worth noting that Paylor didn't go to UNC's game with N.C. State on Friday afternoon. Taylor had a playoff game.
We can tell you Taylor and Paylor have talked a lot about playing together in college, most recently after the Clemson visit.
They won't be a package duo. But landing one will strengthen the case for that school to nab the other.
Something to keep in mind as we await the impression made from Clemson's ACC Championship contest against the Tar Heels this weekend.
**** As Dabo Swinney referenced during his Sunday teleconference, a notable NCAA rules change impacts recruiting this week.
In past years, this has been the week college coaches could hit the road recruiting. So most staffs would be out visiting prospects -- except those preparing for conference championships.
That has been fixed to negate the recruiting advantage.
The evaluation period ended Sunday, so this is a dead period through Thursday.
Friday kicks off the winter contact period, so coaches can be out watching high school football playoff games that night.
It would have been interesting to see how quickly Ole Miss or Miami might have responded with an in-person stop this week upon the news Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard running back Christopher Johnson named Clemson his leader coming off the official visit.
Coaches will be allowed on the road through Dec. 17 leading into the Dec. 21-23 early signing period.
Greensboro (N.C.) four-star wideout Alex Taylor is shown here in Death Valley on Saturday. (Tigerillustrated.com)
**** As you saw, Clemson landed its second member of the 2024 class Monday afternoon with a commitment from Cornelius (N.C.) Hough kicker Nolan Hauser.
For what it's worth, Hauser is the second junior scholarship kicker to commit for the next cycle, with Miami having taken Shreveport (La.) Byrd's Abram Murray over the summer.
Additional context, there are only 11 scholarship kickers committed to power conference schools for this class.
If you have conviction for one, go and get him.
The heavy Clemson legacy connections obviously made Hauser one to watch from the beginning. But since last summer, we've heard favorable reviews on Hauser from impartial voices in the kicking community.
A no-brainer move, in our estimation. Although the Tigers wisely let his junior season play out in order to have the strongest evaluation possible, and Hauser's production stood in support.
CYBER WEEK DEALS on a TON of officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel and gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
By: Paul Strelow
If in-state recruiting is a prevalent theme during rivalry weekend, then this week's ACC Championship brings Clemson's 2024 receiver efforts to the forefront.
Since last summer, the Tigers have focused their intentions on two receivers from North Carolina -- both of whom attended Clemson's final home game Saturday.
Burlington (N.C.) Cummings four-star Jonathan Paylor and Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley four-star Alex Taylor accounted for Clemson's first two receiver offers for the 2024 class last June and remained the only two until St. Louis (Mo.) University five-star Ryan Wingo collected one upon visiting a week ago.
Burlington (N.C.) Cummings four-star wideout and weekend Clemson visitor Jonathan Paylor. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Pairing the Tarheel State duo as their exclusive targeted package has been intentional and proved to be part of Clemson's appeal. Here's underlining that the Tigers brought Paylor and Taylor in together for their victory against N.C. State in early October.
We have considered Taylor (6-2, 175), ranked No. 216 overall, a battle between Clemson and UNC with N.C. State hovering on the periphery.
Meanwhile, Paylor (5-9, 180) -- ranked No. 146 nationally -- is tougher to pin down.
While he released a new top 10 a week ago, you can follow the visits to safely discern most of the main contenders: He has made 2-3 trips to see Clemson, South Carolina, UNC, Tennessee and N.C. State this season, often against one another.
Based on all we've gathered, we're not sure much of a pecking order has materialized amid them.
There's also the fact distance has precluded Paylor from yet getting out to see some of his national offers, and Ohio State in particular holds his interest. It is worth noting that Paylor didn't go to UNC's game with N.C. State on Friday afternoon. Taylor had a playoff game.
We can tell you Taylor and Paylor have talked a lot about playing together in college, most recently after the Clemson visit.
They won't be a package duo. But landing one will strengthen the case for that school to nab the other.
Something to keep in mind as we await the impression made from Clemson's ACC Championship contest against the Tar Heels this weekend.
**** As Dabo Swinney referenced during his Sunday teleconference, a notable NCAA rules change impacts recruiting this week.
In past years, this has been the week college coaches could hit the road recruiting. So most staffs would be out visiting prospects -- except those preparing for conference championships.
That has been fixed to negate the recruiting advantage.
The evaluation period ended Sunday, so this is a dead period through Thursday.
Friday kicks off the winter contact period, so coaches can be out watching high school football playoff games that night.
It would have been interesting to see how quickly Ole Miss or Miami might have responded with an in-person stop this week upon the news Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard running back Christopher Johnson named Clemson his leader coming off the official visit.
Coaches will be allowed on the road through Dec. 17 leading into the Dec. 21-23 early signing period.
Greensboro (N.C.) four-star wideout Alex Taylor is shown here in Death Valley on Saturday. (Tigerillustrated.com)
**** As you saw, Clemson landed its second member of the 2024 class Monday afternoon with a commitment from Cornelius (N.C.) Hough kicker Nolan Hauser.
For what it's worth, Hauser is the second junior scholarship kicker to commit for the next cycle, with Miami having taken Shreveport (La.) Byrd's Abram Murray over the summer.
Additional context, there are only 11 scholarship kickers committed to power conference schools for this class.
If you have conviction for one, go and get him.
The heavy Clemson legacy connections obviously made Hauser one to watch from the beginning. But since last summer, we've heard favorable reviews on Hauser from impartial voices in the kicking community.
A no-brainer move, in our estimation. Although the Tigers wisely let his junior season play out in order to have the strongest evaluation possible, and Hauser's production stood in support.
CYBER WEEK DEALS on a TON of officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel and gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
