Countdown to Early Signing Day - December 14

[Gavin Oliver]

It's back. The Countdown to Signing Day Recruit Tracker has returned as we track a historic recruiting class for the Tigers. With the early National Signing Day just around the corner (December 20) we will run the Countdown to Signing Day every night until the early signing period.

We are only tracking 2018 prospects that are planning to enroll early in this edition. We will have another edition in January for the other prospects.

Check back each night to see any updates to The Tracker. Changes each week will be highlighted in Orange.

We only show recruits that we believe have some chance of signing with the Tigers. The list can certainly fluctuate between now and the early signing period.

We hope everyone enjoys the return of this popular TCI feature as we try to bring you all of the important information on the remaining targets in one report.

Dropped Prospects

None

Moving Up

None


5-star (DE) KJ Henry - 6-6, 235 - Clemmons, NC (West Forsyth High)

All-American Game: Under Armour

The Latest

KJ Henry is one of the guys at the top of Clemson's priority list as they push towards early signing day. Henry can expect a visit this week from the Tigers' staff. Several schools stopped by last week to visit Henry.

Virginia Tech had an in-home visit Tuesday night.

Coach Swinney, coach Venables and coach Bates visited the home of Henry on Wednesday. Someone familiar with the visit told TCI is was "awesome".

South Carolina coaches paid a visit to Henry on Thursday.

Henry has confirmed that he will not take his official visit to Alabama this weekend. Also we believe Georgia did not make the planned in-home visit today (Friday).

KJ sported Alabama gloves at Monday's Shrine Bowl practices. No need to worry as KJ told me he planned to wear a different pair each day this week.

Although he cancelled his official visit to Alabama, KJ told us Monday that the Tide is still in the mix but then went on to say that they are concentrating on other guys at his position.

KJ Henry got some buzz at Shrine Bowl practice when asked about if a school would get an advantage by hiring his father as a coach.

"I like all five schools enough to where that would be a big decision," said Henry.

Henry's dad would have to be hired as one of the ten full-time assistants, not just as an analyst. KJ did say that his dad has already told schools that if they hired him it would not insure that KJ would sign with them.
KJ was working at outside linebacker this week during the Shrine Bowl practices.

Henry said at the Shrine Bowl on Wednesday that he will not inform schools of his decision prior to his Dec. 20 announcement.

Henry told TCI he does not expect to get an in-home visit from Georgia before signing day due to his participation in the Shrine Bowl and this being the final week of the contact period.

We have said for several weeks that Clemson is the team to beat for Henry. We believe that is still the case.

We continue to be more confident by the day that Henry will sign with the Tigers. We are raising his percentage again tonight.

Official Visits Taken - Clemson, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Georgia

Official Visits Planned - None

Biggest Competition - Virginia Tech

Percentage signs with Clemson - 80%

If today was signing day - Clemson

5-star (OL) Cade Mays - 6-6, 318 - Knoxville, TN (Knoxville Catholic)

All-American Game: US Army

The Latest

Cade Mays named his top three late Thursday night (Nov. 30). Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia made the cut.

Mays visited Ohio State and Clemson on consecutive weekends in November. His official visit to Notre Dame was cancelled after he announced his top three. One visit is still remaining, a visit to Georgia the weekend before early signing day.

Mays had Clemson gloves on in his state championship game. Coach Caldwell visited that game.

Sam Pittman the OL coach for Georgia had an in-home visit with Cade Mays on Tuesday.

New Tennessee head coach Pruitt has already reached out to Mays and told him he is going to make him a priority. Tennessee coaches visited Mays on Friday.

With Georgia's official scheduled next weekend and no in-home visits allowed the following week we expect Clemson to try to go in-home last this week.

Cade didn't go anywhere last weekend, but had a great weekend hunting.

Although the new staff at Tennessee tried to make a late push, Mays has not been receptive. It's still a Clemson, Georgia battle. Some Tennessee fans are voicing their displeasure on Twitter.

Dabo Swinney paid Mays a visit at Knoxville Catholic High on Wednesday. Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt and athletic director Phillip Fulmer were also at Knoxville Catholic on Wednesday to see Mays.

Swinney and Robbie Caldwell had an in-home visit with Mays on Wednesday night, as well.

Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman visited Mays at his school on Thursday (Dec. 14). A picture surfaced on social media of Pittman sitting in on a class with Mays.

As for Tennessee, we continue to hear they are not a contender for Mays despite their attempts to get back in the mix. Mays is set for his last official visit to Georgia this weekend.

We continue to believe Clemson would be his pick if today was signing day. The Tigers just need to withstand his final visit to Georgia. Tennessee has tried to make a push but will not get an official visit. This one is still Clemson or Georgia and we continue to like the Tigers chances.

Official Visits Taken - Clemson, Ohio State

Official Visits Planned - Georgia (Dec. 15)

Biggest Competition - Georgia

Percentage signs with Clemson - 65%

If today was signing day - Clemson

5-star (OL) Jackson Carman - 6-6, 330 - Fairfield, OH (Fairfield)

All-American Game - US Army

The Latest

Jackson hasn't visited Clemson since March. He did not attend the cookout this summer and went to Ohio State instead. The Buckeyes have been the leader since spring and he visited there for several games this season.

Southern Cal coaches visited for an in-home visit on Monday night. Head coach Clay Helton, running backs coach Deland McCullough and offensive line coach Neil Callaway made the visit.

Carman has an official visit planned for Clemson this coming weekend. Then he has a visit planned for Southern Cal.

Carman was on campus this weekend for his official visit to Clemson.

On Friday he tweeted "I will be in South Carolina this weekend for my official visit to Clemson University ! Glad to be back".

Sources tell that Carman really enjoyed being back in Clemson. The Tigers definitely made up some ground with the official visit. They gave him some things to think about before he signs.

We don't know that Clemson has done enough this weekend to catch Ohio State, but they did made some progress.

Swinney visited Carman at Fairfield High School on Tuesday, per a Tweet from Carman's head coach, Jason Krause. Urban Meyer was at Fairfield on Wednesday per Krause.

Carman is still expected to make his final official visit to Southern Cal this weekend. We're hearing that he will announce his decision after he returns home on Monday or Tuesday before signing during the early period that begins Wednesday.

Official Visits Taken - Ohio State, Clemson

Official Visits Planned - Southern Cal (Dec. 15)

Biggest Competition - Ohio State

Percentage signs with Clemson - 40%

If today was signing day - Ohio State

4-star (CB) Brendan Radley-Hiles - 5-10, 185 - Bradenton, FL (IMG)

All-American Game - US Army

The Latest

Bookie continues to get recruited by teammates Xavier Thomas and Mike Jones at IMG Academy. He enjoyed his official visit to Clemson for the Citadel game.

But everything we hear still has Oklahoma as the team to beat. The new staff at UCLA is trying to make a push.

The new staff at Florida is making a push and will receive an official visit the weekend of December 15.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, coach Bates, coach Reed and coach Venables had a unique in-home visit with Bookie today at IMG academy. They went to Anna Maria Island and had nice meal and spent time on the beach. Bookie's mom was there for the visit along with Mike Jones' parents and Xavier Thomas.

Florida State moved in with an offer this weekend.

We were told Tuesday that Bookie has stopped communications with the media as he works towards his decision.

We are told they all had a great time. We still don't think Clemson will his choice.

Bookie is still set for his final official visit to Florida this weekend.

Official Visits Taken - Clemson, Oklahoma, Nebraska, UCLA

Official Visits Planned - Florida (Dec. 15)

Biggest Competition - Oklahoma

Percentage signs with Clemson - 35%

If today was signing day - Oklahoma

Current Commitments

5-star (QB) Trevor Lawrence, Cartersville, GA (early enrollee)
5-star (DE) Xavier Thomas - Florence, SC (early enrollee)
4-star (LB) Mike Jones - Bradenton, FL (early enrollee)
3-star (LB) Jake Venables - Clemson, SC
4-star (ATH) Derion Kendrick - Rock Hill, SC (early enrollee)
4-star (K) B.T. Potter - Rock Hill, SC
4-star (DT) Josh Belk - Richburg, SC (early enrollee)
4-star (DE) Justin Mascoll - Snellville, GA
4-star (CB) Kyler McMiichael - Norcross, GA
3-star (OL) Jordan McFadden - Roebuck, SC
3-star (DT) Darnell Jefferies - Covington, GA (early enrollee)
3-star (TE) Braden Galloway - Seneca, SC (early enrollee)


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