Clemson Tigers Add In-State Defensive Lineman to 2027 Class

Head coach Dabo Swinney gets his seventh player for next year's recruiting class from a Palmetto State standout.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney picks up Jaden Wuerth for his 2027 recruiting class. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Clemson football added its first defensive lineman to its 2027 class, receiving a commitment from three-star Jaden Wuerth. 

Go Tigers!🐅 @CoachEason1 @Coach_TomAllen pic.twitter.com/1MAKIcjPQQ

— Jaden Wuerth (@jadenwuerth23) April 11, 2026

The Dutch Fork High School product is the Tigers’ fifth defensive player from the class and the third from the state of South Carolina. Wuerth chose Clemson over Miami, Georgia Tech and South Carolina, right around the corner from his high school. 

Just two days after the decommitment of Seth Williams, defensive coordinator Tom Allen gets another defensive piece, one who has been on the radar throughout the year. Clemson offered Wuerth back in January and hosted him on its Elite Retreat, and now the Tigers get a prospect who is making a name for himself in the Palmetto State.

Rivals has Wuerth as the No. 10 player from the state of South Carolina, being a top 60 defensive lineman with his senior season still ahead. With the numbers that he has had thus far, he could be even higher when he arrives in Clemson. 

Wuerth began at Aquinas High School in Augusta, Georgia, for his first two seasons. After finishing with almost 300 tackles and 27 sacks, he wasn’t getting the attention with the numbers he had. He transferred to Dutch Fork this past season, a program that has won three straight state championships when he got there. 

The future Tiger helped the Silver Foxes win their fourth straight in 2025. He finished his junior season with 62 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and three forced fumbles on the defensive line. 

Junior Year HL
SCHSL 5A D1 Champs
14 Sacks
18 TFLS
62 Tackles
3 FF@coach_bras @CoachSextonFB @CoachSump3 @Natehinton @CoachShugs @KWIGNITES @dfhsfootball @DFHSRecruiting @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @BrandonHuffman @adamgorney @dfhsfootball @DFHSRecruiting https://t.co/kkpQM5DiIl

— Jaden Wuerth (@jadenwuerth23) December 10, 2025

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound standout had a strong push from in-state rival South Carolina, hosting him twice throughout the recruiting process. Clemson scheduled an official visit for Wuerth on May 29, which would have been his first official visit. 

Wuerth joins a recruiting class that is now ranked 20th in the country for the 2027 class. Bryce Kish, Max Brown, Harrison Luke and Christian Chancellor Jr. are the other four who are with the defensive tackle for the defense. 

Defensive tackles coach Nick Eason gets his first player for his group, looking to mold him into the likes of the NFL Draft picks that he’s had in Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro, among others. 

As Clemson heads into the summer, the team will look to bring in more pieces for the 2027 class, especially on the offensive side of the ball, as recruits narrow down their choices over the upcoming months.