The first session of the Dabo Swinney Football Camp was to close late Wednesday morning.
The final workout featured some uncharacteristic buzz involving a prospect who had not come close to the recruiting radar.
Asheville (N.C.) Christian Academy 2016 defensive end Wale Ogundeyi doesn’t have any offers. He hasn’t gotten any college mail. For that matter, he only has two football practices and a jamboree experience to his football resume.
But Ogundeyi (6-8, 245) – whose name is pronounced “Wally” – is going to draw plenty of attention hereafter for his fascinating upside.
Ogundeyi, a Nigerian native, has been in the United States for two years and is a basketball player at heart. He has gained 50 pounds since moving here.
He joined an independent football team in the Asheville area last month, was put at defensive end and registered a sack at the end of his first jamboree.
Raw would be an understatement, as Clemson camp staffers spent much of Wednesday morning’s session demonstrating basic technique and stance.
The interest on Clemson’s behalf is evident, though, as it searches for one or two defensive end prospects to fill this class.
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables escorted Ogundeyi out to the fields during warm-ups, and several Clemson coaches made their way over to check him out.
So stay tuned.
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North Charleston (S.C.) Fort Dorchester four-star offensive lineman John Simpson capped off his three-day stay by working out in the final segment as well.
He was joined Wednesday by the only other offensive lineman with a Clemson offer to come through.
Atlanta (Ga.) Pace Academy 2017 high three-star Andrew Thomas competed in drills and drew favorable reviews from our contacts.
Thomas (6-5, 285) holds offers from South Carolina, Michigan, Miami, Kentucky, Boston College, Arkansas, Virginia Tech and Virginia among others.
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The other pertinent newcomer was Spencer (N.C.) North Rowan 2017 defensive end Zion Debose.
Debose (6-2, 210) recently picked up offers from N.C. State, Duke and North Carolina.
He profiles as a hybrid end/linebacker in much the same fashion as Pendleton (S.C.) 2017 Brad Johnson, who camped on Tuesday.
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EXTRA POINTS …
One of the better young linebacker prospects attending the three-day session was Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips 2017 Nick Smith. Smith (6-3, 195) holds interest from Clemson as well as Georgia Tech and Mississippi State.
We don’t expect he will rise to Clemson’s radar, but Charleston (S.C.) James Island 2017 receiver Jordan McDaniel (6-1, 180) caught our attention as having a notable showing in the morning workout.
A blast-from-the-past note picked up this week: Former Anderson (S.C.) T.L. Hanna tight end Justin Meredith, a 2012 high-three star, is transferring to Clemson as a student to complete his education. Meredith (6-5, 210), who held a Clemson offer, signed with Tennessee before his career ended because of a hamstring injury.
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