Jason Priester All Clemson
Clemson 'Felt Like Home' for 2023 S Rob Billings
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Rob Billings' most recent visit to Clemson was a memorable one.
The 2023 priority safety target was one of more than 30 players to take an official visit to Clemson last weekend, and for Billings, the biggest takeaway was the family-like feel inside of the program.
Current Clemson players Tyler Venables and R.J. Mickens were his player guides, with both doing their part to show Billings everything Clemson had to offer.
"I enjoyed it," Billings told All Clemson. "The first thing, we got to go out on the lake. I got to kayak with my mom. It was pretty fun. My player guides took me to downtown Clemson to see how it is and stuff like that. Played some video games. I just felt like I was on the team, like one of the guys. Just felt like home."
Dabo Swinney addressed the group on Saturday, driving home the importance of education, as well as touching on NIL. Billings said one of the things that stuck out most was how the head coach runs the program in his own unique way.
"How Dabo Swinney takes his time out of his day, he actually talks to the recruits," Billings said. "He talks to us and he preaches the education part of it. Because football has to come to an end one day, so he preaches getting your degree and focusing on your education because having a degree is very good. Just him taking the time because not all head coaches do that."
The day ended with dinner at Swinney's house, followed by some basketball. It was Billings' video of the head coach hitting a fadeaway shot over current Clemson commit Branden Strozier that went viral.
"He's a pretty good shooter, he can shoot it well," Billings said of Swinney's abilities on the basketball court.
The talented defensive back has trimmed his list of favorites down to Clemson, Florida State, Michigan, Duke, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Oregon and Kentucky. While he said he is getting closer to making a decision, he's not there quite yet.
"A couple more visits," Billings said. "I think I'm going to try and make a decision before my (senior) season. I haven't narrowed it down yet, but if I had a Top-3, I think Clemson would be there."
When it does come time to make that ultimate decision, Billings said it will come down to mostly one thing. Each school will have facilities and all of the bells and whistles so at the end of the day, for Billings, it's all about relationships.
"All the schools have the facilities and stuff like that, so it's gonna be based on my relationships with coaches," Billings said. "Me and coach Conn and coach Wes, I think we have a pretty good relationship. We talk on a daily basis, on a weekly basis, just checking up on me and stuff like that. So really just based on relationships."
Wherever he does eventually land, Billings said that school is going to get a playmaker in the secondary and a guy that refuses to be outworked.
"A hard worker, an athletic safety, a ballhawk," Billings said. "I'm gonna come in and work hard every day. Even when things get tough, I'm gonna keep going, keep working hard to get better."
The 2022 Tigers will look to make a run at a fourth national title this season and are currently on FanDuel Sportsbook's list to win it all in 2022 at No. 4.
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