National Signing Day 2018: Five-Star O-Lineman Jackson Carman Commits to Clemson
The top offensive lineman in the class of 2018 is heading to Clemson. Fairfield (Ohio) High’s Jackson Carman announced on Wednesday morning that he is signing with the Tigers, giving head coach Dabo Swinney three top-10 prospects in next year’s freshman class.
Carman, the No. 9 overall prospect in this year’s class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, picked Clemson over USC and Ohio State, which is less than two hours away from his hometown.
Carman inserted himself into an early-season Ohio State controversy when he tweeted that the Buckeyes should be playing Dwayne Haskins at quarterback over J.T. Barrett after visiting the Horseshoe for Ohio State’s loss to Oklahoma. Still, the Buckeyes were considered to be the favorites heading into this week, and Urban Meyer was granted the final in-home visit with Carman.
For the Tigers, it’s a case of the rich getting richer in the trenches. Clemson has arguably the deepest defensive line in the country, and while its counterpart on the other side of the ball is undeniably less heralded, the O-line has consistently delivered against top competition. Even if junior left tackle Mitch Hyatt doesn’t jump to the NFL draft, Carman upgrades the Tigers’ constantly improving depth up front. The fact that Swinney & Co. dipped into Big Ten country to land him only adds to the defending national champions’ momentum.
