Drama-Free Signing Day Nets Dabo Swinney, Clemson Another Highly Touted Recruiting Class

Clemson signed 27 players on early signing day and head coach Dabo Swinney is confident that the Tigers have once again locked up one of the best classes in the country.

Author:
JP Priester
Dec 21, 2022 7:00 PM EST

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Clemson Tigers

CLEMSON- There was no drama for Dabo Swinney on signing day this year.

The Tigers added 27 players on the first day of the signing period, with all but two having already been committed to the program. RB Jamarius Haynes and transfer QB Paul Tyler were the only two players to go public on Wednesday.

It's a class that ranked No. 9 in the country heading into signing day and one Swinney thinks will absolutely help his program in the future.

"It has been a great day," Swinney said. "No drama, or anything like that. You got some of the best players in the country that have been committed for a long time and doing what they want to do. And would have signed back in the summer If you'd have let them. So it's just really, really cool for the day to finally get here, and they've been waiting on it."

"This is my 14th signing class, and it's our 13th Top 15 class in a row. So like everything that we do in this program, we're incredibly consistent. We've been very consistent."

However, Swinney is far more concerned about what the players do after arriving on campus than where the class might fall in the rankings.

"I always say time will tell as it does any, any signing class," Swinney said. "Everybody gets excited about the signing class. I get a little more excited about what they do throughout their career. So time will tell with this class, just like it does every other class, but I really believe that this group will prove to be a very, very special group. I really believe that."

Of the 27 signees, 16 are expected to enroll early, and it's a class that really focused on strengthening the team in the trenches. Clemson signed three blue-chip offensive linemen, as well as six blue-chip defensive linemen, the most in any one class since 2015, when the Tigers signed seven. DT Peter Woods and Vic Burley are two of the more prominent names, with both being SI99 players.

It also features Chris Vizzina, one of the top quarterback prospects in the country, as well as some talent at the skill positions.

"I think it's a group that's built in the trenches," Swinney said. "We've got a lot of athleticism. We've got a bunch of skill on both sides. Another great quarterback coming in here. Just really excited about the whole group and how we put it together."

In fact, Swinney thinks so highly of the class that the head coach is confident that this group will become the next to taste success, as each one of Clemson's recruiting classes since 2009 has won a championship of some kind.

"Every class that I've had, since February of '09, my first class, every single class- now that we've won the league this year- every single class has won a championship," he said. "Which is part of what we want for everybody that comes to Clemson. So every single class has won a championship that's been here, or multiple, and I think without a doubt, this group will keep that going. So excited to get started with them, when that time comes."

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