Three Offensive Targets Trending Toward Clemson After Spring Visits

With spring practice now in full swing, the coaching staff is hitting the recruiting trail hard, and the evidence is already showing up.

The Clemson Tigers and head coach Dabo Swinney recently hosted their annual Elite Retreat, bringing more than two dozen prospects to Death Valley, ranging from three-star to five-star talents. Since then, additional recruits have filtered through to catch spring practice firsthand as well.

Those visits are already paying off, with a trio of offensive prospects picking up crystal ball predictions in the days that followed. All three hold four-star grades, but as is always the case in recruiting, the rankings only tell part of the story.

Here's a closer look at the prospects currently trending toward the Tigers, starting with the highest-rated of the group.

RB Gary Walker

Walker is the No. 126 overall player and the No. 5 running back in all of the 2027 class, according to 247Sports Composite.

He earned his offer during the Elite Retreat back on March 7 and has since seen two crystal balls thrown his way by Clemson247 insiders, which doesn't come as much of a shock, as he only unofficially visited two other programs, Auburn and Florida State, throughout his early recruiting process.

Standing at 6-foot, 190 pounds, Walker combines the perfect mixture of burst and vision out of the backfield for national powerhouse Creekside High School. In his junior campaign last year, he ran for a whopping 1,669 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on only 178 carries, averaging nearly a first down per touch, while helping lead the Seminoles to a state championship victory that was the program's first since 2013.

Walker boasts a great frame that's only getting bigger, and he pairs that physically with a clear knack for making big plays consistently and staying patient while eyeing open holes. But what stands out most is his versatility as a runner, as he doesn't commit to any one style. You'll see him use his speed to attack the b-gap and go vertical, make a sharp cut and break away for a big gain, or lower his shoulder and run through defenders for extra yards.

He plans to begin his official visits with a trip to Stanford on May 22 before returning to Clemson on May 29, followed by stops at Virginia Tech, Penn State and Florida State.

WR Jamarin Simmons

Some may already be familiar with Simmons, as he's had an offer from Clemson since last summer and has now visited four times since the end of 2024.

The Tallahassee, Florida native ranks as a top 65 prospect and a top 10 wideout in his class, holding nearly 30 offers ranging from Troy to Miami. He's visited several in-state schools throughout his recruitment, but has still received four crystal ball projections to Clemson since January of this year.

The 5-foot-11 deep ball specialist attends Amos P. Godby High School and has earned reps on varsity since his freshman year, flashing early potential before his name surfaced on the national radar. In his first year, he caught just eight passes but took three of them for touchdowns and accumulated 109 receiving yards. Since then, he's become a full-time starter and has logged back-to-back 900-yard seasons — 1,928 receiving yards on 108 catches — to go with 22 touchdowns.

When taking a glance at the film, Simmons lines up a lot on the outside and displays extremely impressive ball skills, particularly his ability to track the ball and catch through contact, whether it's against man or zone coverage. He consistently creates separation with his fluid route running and has sneaky speed both after the catch and off the line, making it harder for defenders on the outside and inside.

The four-star prospect is set to return to Death Valley on May 29 and has another official visit scheduled with Florida State for June 5.

OL Carter Jones

Similar to Simmons, Jones earned his offer last summer and has been to upstate South Carolina several times since 2024. The 6-foot-5.5 interior offensive lineman ranks as the No. 411 overall player, the No. 21 player at his position and the No. 10 player in Virginia, according to 247Sports Composite.

He looks to essentially be a lock for the Tigers in most insiders' eyes, as Clemson247's Austin Hannon and VT Scoop's Colby Crawford each gave out a Clemson crystal ball to Jones in the past week. Rivals' recruiting prediction machine also gives the Tigers a 74.7% chance of landing the talented offensive guard.

Still, he has four other official visits lined up, including stops at Georgia and Virginia Tech before Clemson, and Tennessee and Penn State to follow.