Top Alabama Defensive Back Places Clemson in Top 12

While he doesn't hold an offer just yet, the No. 1 safety in Alabama still holds the Tigers in high regard.

Top 75 recruit CJ Craig-James has placed Clemson in his Top 12 alongside Miami, Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, among others. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

With only one 2027 prospect remaining on Clemson Football's board, attention has started shifting to the 2028 cycle, and most recently, one of Alabama's top talents released his early list of top schools.

On Monday afternoon, defensive back CJ Craig-James announced his top 12 schools, including Clemson alongside Miami, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt, Cal and Auburn. 

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound safety is rated a consensus four-star and ranks as the No. 77 overall player, the No. 7 player at his position and the No. 6 recruit in the state of Alabama, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Where’s 🏠?? @SWiltfong_ @Hayesfawcett3 @AHParkerFootba1 @CoachWarren23 @Rivals @RivalsHS @DemetricDWarren @LemmingReport pic.twitter.com/qoG6Bm0635

— CJ Craig-James 4⭐️ 2028 (@CJ2Sports2028) July 20, 2026

Craig-James broke out this past season for Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, totaling 37 tackles, four interceptions, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery touchdown.

While he didn't earn any offers during the season, he took multiple unofficial visits, most of them to in-state programs. He took three trips to Alabama, as well as one each to Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Auburn and South Carolina. 

Following the season's end, he received an influx of offers from just about every top program in the nation, as shown by his Top 12. To put into perspective just how much his recruitment took off over the past six months, Craig-James began the New Year with just one FBS offer (Kennesaw State), and now boasts 45 total as of July 21.

Throughout the spring and early summer, he continued making visits to schools all over the country, returning to Alabama, Auburn and Georgia Tech once each, in addition to Georgia, Florida, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Texas, Notre Dame and Miami.

While Craig-James doesn't yet have an offer from Clemson, it's clear that the two parties have been in regular contact. Not to mention, the Tigers are very decisive with who they send offers out to, especially early in the cycle. 

The Tigers sit in a very good spot with the top safety recruit, who referred to the program as one of five schools setting the pace, according to On3's Chad Simmons. The two primary reasons are their outstanding facilities and their development of defensive backs, as the staff sends multiple players at the position to the NFL year after year.

The other four programs setting the pace are Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State. 

The four-star talent plans to check out multiple games from his top schools, with the first of many being Clemson's season opener against LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  

Craig-James isn't the only Alabama talent that the Tigers have set their sights on, either, as multiple other top recruits in the state have begun being recruited by Clemson. Those players include four-star offensive lineman Joey Fleming, four-star tight end Kaleb Ballard and four-star offensive lineman Samuel Bailey.