What Clemson’s New Highest-Rated 2027 Recruit Brings to the Tigers

As Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers move on to the next batch of recruits post-signing day, the program has just landed their highest-rated prospect in the upcoming class of 2027

Shortly after earning an offer from the Tigers during a visit to campus for Clemson's Elite Retreat recruiting event, four-star linebacker Bryce Kish announced he would be committing to Clemson.

COMMITTED CLEMSON IS HOME!
I AM ALL IN 💯
PRAISE GOD🙏
#AGTG pic.twitter.com/xI043p4CWA
— Bryce Kish⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@brycekish6) March 9, 2026

In Rivals’ recent recruiting rankings, Kish is the No. 60 overall prospect in the country, while 247Sports’ composite rankings place him as the nation’s No. 5 linebacker prospect.

Besides Clemson, Kish also had official visits lined up with Michigan State, Minnesota and Purdue throughout the month of March. He has also reported offers from notable programs like Michigan, Louisville and California. Despite entering the year as an unranked prospect, his recruiting has taken off over the past couple of months.

As a junior at Howell High School in Michigan, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder totaled 29 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and 4.5 tackles-for-loss. He also served as the Highlanders' leading rusher, totaling 694 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry.

The same speed and coordination that allow him to be an effective ball carrier should put him in a position to be successful as a linebacker at the next level. His build as a 17-year-old is already promising before ever stepping into a Division I weight room, and his frame suggests there is still room to fill out.

Kish likely projects as an edge rusher at the next level, using his long arms and flexibility to give offensive tackles nightmares after adding weight during an offseason in the Tigers’ strength program.

Based on 247Sports’ composite rankings, he is Clemson’s highest-rated recruit in the class of 2027 and has helped the Tigers climb into the top ten of college football’s recruiting class rankings for the upcoming cycle. Besides Kish, Clemson has received pledges from six players, including three other defenders and one other linebacker.

Three-star linebacker Max Brown, brother of former ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year Sammy Brown, is the Tigers' other linebacker commit for the class of 2027. In an interview with TigerNet's Grayson Mann, he expressed his excitement to gain another reinforcement in his position group.

“I’m super pumped up about it. He’s a great, high quality kid and he’ll fit right in with us," Brown said. This class is only going uphill, too .”