Clemson Among Top Six for Nation’s No. 4 Defensive Back

The Clemson Tigers have picked up serious momentum on the 2027 recruiting trail, landing two commits within the past month in top-five linebacker Bryce Kish and three-star defensive back Seth Williams.

That momentum continued Thursday afternoon when Rivals' Hayes Fawcett announced that safety Ta'Shawn Poole included Clemson in his top six, alongside Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and ACC foe Florida State.

Where’s 🏡?👀 https://t.co/rrJlbi9nia
— Ta’Shawn Poole 4⭐️ (@poole_tashawn) April 2, 2026

The 6-foot-2 defensive back is rated a four-star prospect and ranks as the No. 52 player nationally, the No. 4 player at his position and the No. 3 player in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports Composite.

The Tigers and Poole haven't been in communication for all that long; however, he attended the Elite Retreat and was one of 11 recruits on campus to receive an offer that day. Following the visit, it was reported that Clemson was at the top of his list.

But, after a visit to Tennessee yesterday, he said the Volunteers were now his No. 1, according to On3's Volquest.

As of now, his official visit list goes as follows: Clemson (May 29-31), Tennessee (June 5-7) and Florida State (June 19-21). Still, Alabama and Georgia have hosted him for multiple unofficial visits, so don't be surprised if he ends up taking official visits to Tuscaloosa and Athens in the near future.

Currently, Poole is projected to land with the Crimson Tide, as there's a 29.7% chance, according to Rivals' recruiting prediction machine. But it doesn't seem all that reliable, as Georgia Tech, which was also heavily targeting Poole, is No. 2 on the list (17.9%) even though it didn't make the top six.

While there's no access to his full stats over the past two years, his freshman season stats stick out like a sore thumb, as he totaled 43 tackles, four interceptions and two pass deflections while adding 194 offensive yards and three touchdowns on the other side of the ball.

Most recently, he played in the annual Under Armour All-American game and showed off at Under Armour Next in mid-March, taking home Alpha Dog honors.

Came away from UA Next in Atlanta impressed with ESPN 300 prospect Ta’Shawn Poole @poole_tashawn

Prototypical size, sticky in coverage, and loves to compete. Backed up his reputation as a UA All-American and top five safety in the country 🔥 #UANext pic.twitter.com/Y1vsodb2CZ
— Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) March 21, 2026

While he doesn't have a set date for his official commitment, if he were to pledge to the Tigers, he'd be joining an already impressive recruiting class that boasts seven commits and ranks as No. 14 in the nation and No. 2 in the ACC, just seven spots behind the Miami Hurricanes.