Clemson's top ATH commits of the Rivals.com era
Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.
The athlete position is always a controversial one at Rivals.com. Some fans love it, some hate it and the same can be said for analysts. After all, what player plays “athlete” in college? However, the position was created for prospects who often times projected equally to offense or defense, would have a major impact on special teams or could play multiple positions on one side of the ball. With more and more players impacting all over the field like Jabrill Peppers and Adoree' Jackson, the position in our rankings likely won’t be going away anytime soon.
Clemson does a very good job at recruiting versatile players and it’s a big reason why they are the reigning college football champs. With the recent commitment of four-star athlete Kyler McMichael, who projects as a cornerback or safety but could play offense if needed, we take a look at the Clemson athlete commitments in Rivals.com history ranked four stars or more.
Quick note: Vic Beasley, a first-round draft pick and NFL star with the Atlanta Falcons, doesn’t make this list because he was a high three-star.
The skinny: After committing to Clemson in July, a last minute official visit to Auburn in late January caused a little unnecessary stress among Tiger fans. However, he stuck with his word and signed with Clemson on Signing Day. Coming off of a 49-reception season in 2016, even more will be expected out of McCloud this fall with the departures of Mike Williams and Artavis Scott to the NFL.
Farrell’s take: McCloud was used all over the field out of high school and had the skill to play wide receiver, running back or defensive back in college. The only five-star on this list, McCloud was also projected as a big-time return man in college. He was a dynamic athlete with the ball in his hands and got better each time we saw him with an unquestioned work ethic. He’s starting to live up to that potential.
The skinny: McMichael released a top six of Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida State and Auburn in early June before committing to the Tigers less than two weeks later. He had taken recent visits to Clemson, Georgia and Tennessee before making his decision and had trimmed his list down to the Tigers and Crimson Tide. McMichael will likely start at either cornerback or safety at Clemson.
Farrell’s take: McMichael is a terrific offensive weapon as a running back in high school, but defense is his passion and he’s prefers to play corner and come up and hit. I doubt he’ll see the field on offense and he could be moved from athlete before our rankings are done, but right now he’s the second highest-ranked athlete to choose Clemson.
The skinny: Hopkins committed to the Tigers almost a year prior to his own Signing Day and never wavered on his word. At Clemson, Hopkins quickly made an impact on the field. After a junior season that saw him reel in 82 receptions for 1,405 yards and 18 touchdowns, he entered the NFL Draft where he was selected with the 27th overall pick by the Houston Texans. He has continued to produce in the NFL, becoming one of the top young wide receivers in the league.
Farrell’s take: “Nuk” was a very good defensive player in high school as many people forget. He was obviously a very good offensive talent as well, but trust me when I tell you that he could have been a star on either side of the ball. He wasn’t the player you see today dominating the NFL, but his two-way ability had his ranking in the top 150 in the country. In fact, when he received his first few offers, he was a safety in the Rivals.com database.
The skinny: Brooks committed to Clemson over Notre Dame and Arkansas in June after a three-day visit to Death Valley. His collegiate career never met expectations, as he rushed for 599 yards and scored eight touchdowns in three seasons. Despite his lack of overall production, Brooks was still drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft by Seattle. He bounced around from Seattle, Kansas City and Denver before announcing his retirement from the NFL in April, without ever playing in a regular season game.
Farrell’s take: Brooks was listed as an athlete because he could play running back or wide receiver in college but also had the size and physical ability to play defense if needed. At the time, he was a huge pull for Clemson out of Arkansas and followed a commitment from quarterback Chad Kelly. They were expected to be a dominant force in the Clemson backfield for a few years, but that obviously didn’t work out for many reasons. Brooks was hampered by a lack of overall speed and a foot injury.
The skinny: Initially committed to Auburn and then Miami, Kearse re-opened his recruitment and finally chose Clemson in early August. This time he stayed firm with his pledge and signed with the Tigers. Kearse played safety at Clemson, totaling 164 tackles and seven interceptions in three seasons before declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft. He was selected in the seventh round by Minnesota and saw limited playing time as a rookie. He will be battling for a roster spot this summer.
Farrell’s take: Kearse played quarterback, running back, linebacker, safety and other positions in high school. He was as raw as they come as an athlete, but could be so versatile and play anywhere that he was coveted by many. He was the nephew of Jevon Kearse and his cousin, Phillip Buchanon, played at Miami and in the NFL. Athleticism was never a question, here but he was ranked a bit lower than some others because he was so hard to project to one position.
The skinny: Taylor committed to Clemson while on campus for a summer camp. He received a hard push from South Carolina during the winter from its new coach Steve Spurrier, but he stuck with the Tigers. He started off as a wide receiver at Clemson, but then made the move to running back. He never made a meaningful impact at either position during his time with the Tigers. After going undrafted in 2010, he signed with Tampa Bay as a fullback, and then spent time in the UFL and Arena League. He is currently an assistant strength and conditioning coach at NC State.
Farrell’s take: Taylor could have played running back or wide receiver in college and had the size and physical nature to play defense as well. Known for his dreadlocks in high school as much as for his bodybuilder physique, Taylor was just a step too slow to be an elite running back in college and made a run at being a fullback in the NFL but that never went anywhere. He was one of the freakiest physical specimens of the 2005 class without a doubt. I partially expected him to be moved to linebacker in college but it never happened.
The skinny: Stuckey took official visits to Clemson, Auburn, Florida State and Tennessee before committing to Clemson in early February. The Tigers had been his favorite for several months. Stuckey had a productive career at Clemson, finishing with 141 receptions for 1,760 yards and seven touchdowns. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played for the Jets, Browns and Cardinals for five seasons before heading to the CFL.
Farrell’s take: Stuckey was a standout quarterback in high school but lacked the size to have a true future at the position. He also had the potential to be a wide receiver or cornerback at the next level but really wanted a shot at quarterback. It’s a good thing quarterback never worked out for Stuckey because he had a nice run at wide receiver in college and the NFL.
