Clemson Makes Top Five for Elite 2027 Cornerback

While the Clemson Tigers missed out on a top safety in the 2027 class last week, head coach Dabo Swinney and company aren't letting that decision slow them down in the recruiting trail.

This past Sunday, four-star cornerback Hayden Stepp placed Clemson in his top five finalists alongside Oregon, Alabama, Tennessee and ACC foe Miami.

NEWS: Elite 2027 CB Hayden Stepp is down to 5 Schools, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’3 190 CB from Las Vegas, NV is ranked as a Top 25 Recruit in the 2027 Class (per Rivals)

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/W92nPZk1TQ pic.twitter.com/q3mfF4vIHA
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 22, 2025

The highly-touted recruit ranks as the No. 23 player nationally, the No. 3 CB and the No. 1 player in the state of Nevada, according to Rivals.

The Tigers and Dabo Swinney haven't been in contact with Stepp for too long, as he only recently visited campus and received his offer from the school two months ago. However, both clearly left a strong impression on Clemson, which has cracked his top five as his most recent offer.

Still, the program and its recruiters face an uphill climb in Stepp's recruitment, with Miami holding the advantage as his second-ever offer and the other finalists all extending offers back in February.

Fortunately for Clemson, Stepp's recruitment is still in its early stages, as he's taken just four total visits so far — one of which was to campus — giving the Tigers a chance to continue building momentum as the process unfolds.

His three other unofficial visits were to Oregon in April, Tennessee in the first week of November and Alabama the week after.

The 6-foot-3 cornerback attends national powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nevada. The well-known high school program has produced players such as Rome Odunze, Zachariah Branch, DeMarco Murray, Jalen Nailor and more.

Stepp earned a rare varsity role as a freshman but was limited to six games by injury. Even in that short span, he showed his upside, recording 14 tackles, one for a loss, two pass breakups and two interceptions. Bishop Gorman finished that season undefeated on their way to winning the state championship and finishing as the No. 1 team in the nation, according to MaxPreps.

In his breakout sophomore campaign, Stepp played in nine games and piled up 20 tackles, a career-high six pass deflections, one fumble recovery and a pick-six. As usual, the Gaels went on to win the Nevada 5A state title.

This past season, the lockdown defensive back logged a career-high 24 tackles and four pass deflections en route to winning the third state championship of his high school career.

All of that has made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the country, and 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins offered a detailed look at why his game stands out.

"Stepp is a long, athletic cover corner who could eventually grow into a safety. He's pushing 6-foot-4 with an athletic 175-pound frame," Biggins said. "He has a rare combination of size, length and athleticism. He flashes good ball skills, is comfortable changing direction and is fluid as an athlete."

"He's a willing tackler and should add even more physicality to his game as he gains some size and strength to his frame. He has a lot of upside and projects as a high Power 4 prospect with an easy NFL ceiling if he maximizes his potential."

Given Clemson's current lack of depth in the secondary, a player like Stepp could prove invaluable if the Tigers can close the gap in his recruitment.

The unit has taken several recent hits, losing star cornerback Avieon Terrell to the upcoming NFL Draft, starting safety Khalil Barnes to the transfer portal, four-star 2026 safety Kaden Gebhardt to a flip to Ohio State and three-star 2026 safety Blake Stewart to a flip to Georgia.

Clemson even leaned on two wide receivers who switched over to defensive back and safety, both of whom logged meaningful snaps this past season, a clear sign of how thin the room has become.

While defensive coordinator Tom Allen recently stated that the program will utilize the transfer portal to find talent, Stepp's size and proven production against elite competition would address a major need and fit the mold of a long-term building block in the Tigers' secondary.