Argyle (Texas) tight end J.C. Chalk is one of the state's top prospects at his position. Committed to the Clemson Tigers since last June, Chalk continues to maintain relationships with other schools, but on Sunday at The Opening's Dallas regional camp in Arlington, he said that he's not wavering from his Tigers pledge.
Athletic TE J.C. Chalk solid to Clemson, but maintaining back-up plans
Even though the consensus three-star prospect is taking other visits, it would take major changes at Clemson for him to open up his recruitment.
“I’m pretty solid to Clemson,” Chalk said. “Like I tell everyone, I’m about as solid as you can be, but I keep relationships with a couple of other schools just in case something happens my senior year, like if the coaching staff were to leave, I don’t want to have nowhere to go. So I keep relationships with a couple of other schools. Not very many, just two or three, and then I’m still very solid to Clemson.”
The three schools Chalk remains in contact with are Ole Miss, Texas, and Texas A&M. He also believes that Alabama could be close to offering, and an offer from the Crimson Tide wouldn’t convince him to change his commitment, but it would put Alabama into the group of schools he’s considering as back-up plans.
The 6’3, 225-pounder has a tie to the Aggie program because his grandfather is Gene Stallings, who was one of the Junction Boys during his playing days in College Station. Stallings then went on to become the head coach from 1965 to 1971. But Chalk said that his grandfather just wants him to go somewhere that will make him happy and where he fits with the coaching staff.
Of course, there’s also more to the school’s appeal than the family connection.
“I like the way they said they were going to use me if I go down there,” Chalk said of the Aggies. “Plus, they have a good vet school and I want to be a vet, so that’s a factor.”
Clemson also has an appealing pre-vet program for Chalk, a school the Argyle product committed to because of his strong relationship with the coaching staff there. There’s already been one major coaching change with former co-offensive coordinator Chad Morris moving on to become the head coach at SMU, but that didn’t cause Chalk to waver -- he’s close with new co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, who previously served as the receivers coach.
“It’s still the same. It’s all good,” Chalk said of his relationship with the Tigers staff.
As with Texas A&M, Chalk likes his potential fit in the Clemson offense, as the coaches told him that he would have a chance to played flexed out as a wide receiver to create mismatches in addition to a more traditional tight end role.
“I just loved the whole campus and the atmosphere there.”
With Texas, Chalk has a connection to new tight ends coach Jeff Traylor after playing against the former Gilmer head coach when he was still at the high school level. It’s a relationship that should help produce an offer from the Longhorns in the near future. He’s trying to make it down to Austin at some point after missing the recent Texas Junior Day because of weather-related issues.
“I just really want to be able to meet the whole staff. I haven’t been able to meet all of them, so I’m looking forward to that,” Chalk said about his expectations for that visit.
A strong relationship with the entire Ole Miss staff is keeping the Rebels involved in his recruitment, though he also likes the emphasis on faith.
The consensus three-star prospect is ranked as the No. 578 prospect, the No. 20 tight end, and the No. 76 player in Texas, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. One flip prediction came in for the Aggies in his 247Sports Crystal Ball after he picked up his offer from Texas A&M:
