Former Clemson Commit Flips to SEC Program on Signing Day

A former three-star Clemson commit delivered Signing Day shockwaves by flipping to an SEC powerhouse at the buzzer.

A former three-star Clemson commit flipped to an SEC program on Signing Day, adding another twist to the hectic 2026 recruiting cycle. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With National Signing Day upon us, there have been lots of moves made since the crack of dawn. The Clemson Tigers have officially locked down 19 recruits, with safety commit Kaden Gebhardt flipping for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Tigers have had four total decommitments in the 2026 class, one of them being three-star safety Blake Stewart, who committed and signed with Georgia over Miami and Vanderbilt this past Wednesday.

BREAKING: Class of 2026 Safety Blake Stewart has Committed to Georgia, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰The 6’1 185 S chose the Bulldogs over Vanderbilt and Miami⁰⁰“All Glory to God. Jeremiah 29:11”⁰⁰https://t.co/xfGstpFjWt pic.twitter.com/96PaSbQIvm

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 3, 2025

Stewart ranks as the No. 461 player, the No. 39 safety and No. 49 player in the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports Composite.

Throughout his recruiting process, Stewart received numerous Power 4 offers from schools like Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Texas, Michigan, and more. He made 20 visits to multiple schools during his initial recruitment. But after taking his final four official visits, he seemed to know where home was, committing to the Tigers in mid-July.

However, after an underwhelming start to the 2025 season for Clemson, Stewart quickly abandoned his commitment and reopened his recruitment. 

Holding over 40 offers at the time of his decommitment, naturally, programs started reaching back out from all over the country. Stewart planned only one official visit during his second time around, traveling to Athens for the Texas matchup.

During Stewart’s four-year tenure at Woodward Academy, he built an impressive athletic resume, lettering in football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, and track. On the gridiron, the War Eagles utilized Stewart as a two-way player, catching 91 passes for 1,121 yards and 12 touchdowns at wideout. On the defensive side of the ball, he racked up 120 tackles, eight for a loss, six interceptions — returning two for scores — 12 pass deflections and two forced fumbles. 

Additionally, Stewart shone in the returning aspect of special teams, totaling 698 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts in his high school career.

The other three former Clemson commits who have flipped in this year’s class include four-star defensive tackle Keshawn Stancil (Miami), four-star defensive end Dre Quinn (Ohio State) and, as mentioned before, four-star safety Kaden Gebhardt (Ohio State).

The wave of late flips and decommitments reflects the reality of recruiting in the modern College Football landscape, where NIL opportunities, expanded transfer options and constant staff turnover have made commitments increasingly unstable. Across the sport, prospects are taking longer to finalize decisions, and programs are adjusting to a new era defined by rapid movement and shifting priorities.