9/8/2017 football Edit

Clemson to make a run at Alabama RB Harold Joiner?

Chad Simmons • Rivals.com

Recruiting Analyst

Chad Simmons is a Recruiting Analyst for Rivals.com. He was the expert on The Next Class on Fox Sports South from 2011-2015. He currently covers Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

THE LATEST: Harold Joiner will head to Clemson for the first time Saturday to see the Tigers host Auburn. This 6-foot-3, 213 pound four-star running back out of Mountain Brook (Ala.) has seen the interest from Clemson increase recently and he is ready to see the reigning national champions up close. No offer yet for the top 10 prospect in his state, but he feels one could be on the way.

That could be a game-changer.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: "Clemson has been telling me that they want to see me and get to know me," said Joiner. "I am interested in them and I want to see what it is like there. I know they don't have a lot of running backs right now, so there would be an opportunity for me to play if I ended up there."

EYES WIDE OPEN: "This will be my first time visiting Clemson, so I really want to see what it is like. I have watched them on T.V., so I like their spread offense and I have heard how nice things are there. The won it all last year, so that is something I know, but I really just want to see what it is like, how they do things and just see what I find out about the school."

AN OFFER WOULD CHANGE THINGS: "I am hearing from the Clemson coaches are very interested in me, so I think I could get an offer from them this weekend. My trainer is hearing it is possible, I know they want to get me up there and we will see how it goes. An offer from them would mean a lot and they would be up there at the top with the other schools. It would definitely be a school I would start considering as soon as they offered me."

RIVALS REACTION: Heading into this weekend, LSU, Michigan State and UCLA are the three schools Joiner speaks the most about. LSU is the school most consider the front-runner and he is scheduled to take an official visit to Baton Rouge (La.) in October. A decision could come in late November, but if Clemson or another school makes him a target, then things could slow down a little more. Joiner has been close to committing, but as he said, he hit the breaks and is taking things slower right now.