Clemson Loses Four-Star Safety Target to ACC Foe

Clemson made a late push, but a key 2027 safety target ultimately slipped away as questions linger in the Tigers’ secondary.

Clemson came up short in a late recruiting battle for a four-star 2027 safety as depth concerns continue in the secondary. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the Clemson Tigers' 2026 recruiting class now signed and set, Dabo Swinney and company continued to push late on the recruiting trail but ultimately came up short in their pursuit of one of the nation's top safeties.

That safety is Marquis Bryant, who announced his commitment date at the end of November. This past Tuesday, he opted to take his talents elsewhere, choosing North Carolina over Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Tennessee.

I'm staying home 🐏🩵 https://t.co/Ai63ozaidf

— Marquis Bryant 4⭐️( 2027) (@QuisBryantt) December 16, 2025

The 185-pound safety is rated a four-star prospect and ranks as the No. 169 overall player, the No. 17 safety and the No. 8 player in the state of North Carolina, according to Rivals.

The Tigers have been in contact with Bryant for a while now, dating back to September 2024, when he took his first unofficial visit to the school for their contest against NC State. Since then, he's been back on campus four times, most recently stopping by for the season-opener against LSU. The only other program to host the highly-touted safety at least four times is, unsurprisingly, Tennessee, with four — a trend that always seems to overlap with Clemson.

Bryant's talent has been noticeable since he stepped onto the high school scene, earning a spot on Rolesville High School's varsity squad as a freshman. In 12 games, he recorded 53 tackles, two for a loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 10 pass deflections and one interception. 

He delivered similar production as a sophomore, posting 58 tackles, a tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, 10 pass breakups and an interception while helping Rolesville finish 14-2 and rank No. 3 in the state. The Rams made a deep run in the NCHSAA 4A playoffs but ultimately fell to nationally ranked No. 21 Grimsley in the state title game.

This past season, Rolesville had its worst record in four years, finishing 9-4 and losing to Hoggard in the third round of the playoffs. However, Bryant had his best year statistically in coverage, totaling 28 tackles, one for a loss, one forced fumble, three pass deflections and six interceptions — returning one for a touchdown.

Missing out on Bryant stings for Clemson, particularly given the current state of the secondary. The Tigers have already seen two safeties — Kaden Gebhardt and Blake Stewart — decommit from the 2026 class, thinning depth at a position facing potential turnover.

The timing adds another layer, as former safeties coach Mickey Conn recently departed to become Samford's defensive coordinator and safeties coach, a move that played a significant role in Gebhardt's flip to Ohio State on National Signing Day. With Bryant now headed elsewhere, Clemson will need to regroup at safety moving forward, whether through the upcoming transfer portal cycle or continued high school recruitment.