Clemson Tigers Secure a Finalist Spot for One of the Nation’s Top Running Backs

While the Clemson Tigers missed out on the best interior offensive lineman in the country last week, head coach Dabo Swinney and company aren’t letting that decision slow them down in the recruiting trail.

On Monday, running back Andrew Beard placed Clemson in his final four, slotted alongside the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers, as first reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

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— Jerry “Andrew” Beard II (@jabeard2027) February 9, 2026

The 5-foot-9 back is rated as a four-star prospect, and ranks as the No. 63 player nationally, the No. 4 player at his position and the No. 6 player in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports rankings.

The Tigers and Dabo Swinney have been in contact with Beard for some time now. After five unofficial visits over the past three years, Clemson formally offered him just three weeks ago. Despite the recent offer, the mutual interest is clear, as the program made a strong enough impression to earn a spot in his final four.

Even so, the program and its recruiters face an uphill battle in Beard’s recruitment, with Tennessee and Georgia continuing to loom large. Both programs were among his earliest suitors — Georgia extended his first-ever offer in the summer of 2023, while Tennessee followed with his seventh in May 2024.

Georgia’s pull, though, runs even deeper, as Beard is from Bogart — which is about 10 miles from Athens — and is a legacy of the program.

His uncle, Garrison Hearst, starred in the black, white and red from 1990 to 1992, winning the Doak Walker Award and SEC Player of the Year honors in his final season before becoming a top-three draft pick and an 11-year NFL veteran. Hearst currently sits in the College Football Hall of Fame.

That early momentum has carried over to the visit trail, with Beard taking trips to Athens 11 times and Knoxville four times since receiving the SEC offers, and each program hosting him at least twice in 2025. Nevertheless, the Volunteers remain the front-runner for the talented back.

Beard’s next unofficial visit is set for March 7, when Clemson and its staff will host their annual Elite Retreat.

He also has his official visit schedule locked in, with the Tigers getting the first opportunity on May 29, followed by Florida on June 4, Georgia on June 12 and Tennessee on June 19.

The Georgia native began his high school career out at Lincoln County High School, making strides on both sides of the ball as a freshman on varsity. Through 11 games, he received 52 offensive touches for 375 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns while totaling 75 tackles, one forced fumble, one pass deflection and two interceptions defensively.

Following an impressive freshman campaign, Beard transferred to Prince Avenue Christian, a small private school in Athens, and the move paid off immediately. As a sophomore in 2024, the versatile back erupted for just under 2,500 all-purpose yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 8.7 yards per carry.

He helped lead his team to a 10-4 record and a state championship in his first year; however, the Wolverines fell short, losing to Hebron Christian, 56-28. Still, Beard was named to the Sophomore All-American First-Team by MaxPreps for his season-long performance.

This past season, Beard’s production took a slight dip, yet he still impressed and remains one of the best backs in the nation. Across 12 games, he totaled 1,742 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns on 196 offensive touches.