Clemson Football Makes Top Six of Coveted Four-Star 2026 Safety

Clemson got the news they were looking for regarding one of their top targets.

After a run of commitments during the middle of March, the Tigers cooled off a bit until the end of that month when they picked up a pledge from four-star defensive lineman Kameron Cody.

Since that point, it's been a lot of laying the ground work for the rest of the spring in preparation for the summer when numerous official visits will take place as more recruits get set to announce their commitment decisions.

That's why it was a huge win for Clemson when coveted four-star prospect Joey O'Brien included the Tigers in his final six schools.

NEWS: Elite 2026 ATH Joey O’Brien is down to 6️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’4 190 ATH from Philadelphia, PA is ranked as the No. 2 ATH in the ‘26 Class (per On3 Industry)

Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/MM3qFmDvZD pic.twitter.com/GLtBNQu74J
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 10, 2025

While it's long been thought that O'Brien will play safety at the collegiate level, he's listed as an "athlete" since he's a two-way star for La Salle College High School in Pennsylvania.

Multiple top programs are going after the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder, so getting him on campus at the end of March was crucial for the Tigers when it comes to their place in his recruitment.

Further adding to the good news, O'Brien is also locked into an official visit with Clemson that is scheduled to take place on May 30, the second one on his calendar behind Penn State, who is set to host him on May 16.

Making it into his top six and locking in an official visit is huge for the Tigers' chances.

"I want to take my official visits and decide after those," he initially said back in January, per Steve Wiltfong of On3. "We still need to have conversations about things that haven’t been talked about yet. Until I have all the information I need I won’t be able to make a decision."

Right now, the massive favorites to land him, according to On3's Recruiting Prediction Machine, is Notre Dame with a staggering 91.1% chance. Clemson sits with a 1.1% chance, although it seems like he is more open to other schools on his list than those odds are letting on.

O'Brien would be a major get for the Tigers.

Currently sitting with the eighth-ranked class in the 2026 cycle, O'Brien would boost their ranking since he's considered the 69th-best prospect in this class per On3's Industry Ranking.

He would also become the second-highest rated player committed to Clemson behind wide receiver Naeem Burroughs.

This battle will be one to keep an eye on throughout the spring and into the summer.

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