Clemson Recruiting: Tracking The Tigers Until Signing Day 2012

Clemson recruit Chad Kelly, who’s already got his own rap song and has already publicly threatened the job status of his future team’s entire quarterbacks depth chart, just keeps talkin’. He’s now answered a question first posed only months ago by ESPN the Magazine:

As far as his recruitment goes, Kelly has indeed made something out of not very much. Today In Chad Kelly may soon need to become a daily bulletin. But give the kid a break. I believe we all remember when Uncle Jim was being recruited by Penn State and started calling himself “the white Jim Zorn.”

The Clemson Tigers go into National Signing Day with 20 verbal commitments for their 2012 recruiting class. The Tigers would like to close the class with a few more. If Clemson gets any more commitments, there will need to be attrition on the current roster.

There is not a clear headliner of the commitments on the board so far, but there are three prospects with cases to be considered Clemson’s top commitment; Tallahassee, FL defensive back Travis Blanks, Forest City, NC defensive tackle Carlos Watkins, and Buffalo, NY quarterback Chad Kelly.

Kelly also decided to greet his new teammates on Twitter. This went well! (No it didn’t.)

Stoudt also suggested the innovative theory that those who would do this are jealous of accomplishments both on the field and in the field of romance. Clearly Kelly is off to a great start, and might want to bring cookies to his first team meeting at Clemson. (And eat them all by himself just to show the haters, hater. #SWAG #COOKIESWAG )

So it came as no surprise that James was not happy when, as he told it via Twitter, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney texted the elder James, saying that he did not want the South Carolina commitment to come for an official visit. Here’s what Davis had to say:

Some Clemson fans started firing back at Davis, and he reminded them that he is a proud Clemson Tiger:

Todd Gurley, one of the top running backs in the country, has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. Gurley stars for Tarboro (NC), and received more than 20 BCS offers. Gurley narrowed his choice down to a final four or North Carolina, Georgia, Clemson and N.C. State, ultimately narrowing it even more to UGA and Clemson.

Gurley is 6’0” and 205 pounds. He is considered a four-star prospect by most major services, and is rated as one of the top 20 backs in the country by all concerned.

Jonathan Bullard, one of the top defensive ends in the country, has committed to the Florida Gators. Bullard stars for Shelby, North Carolina’s Crest High School. Bullard held offers from most of the top schools in the country.

Bullard is roughly 6’4” and 255+ pounds, which classifies him as a strong-side defensive end. He’s raw, but shows the ability to shut down the run and set the edge. But he can also rush the passer. Like the Tigers and Gamecocks, the Gators run even and odd-front defenses, and Florida should be able to capitalize on Bullard’s versatility. The services rate Bullard as a high four-star or even a five-star recruit.

Clemson, South Carolina or Florida? That is the question facing defensive end Jonathan Bullard. The talented recruit out of Shelby, NC’s Crest High School is set to make his decision next Wednesday.

Bullard is roughly 6’4” and 255+ pounds, which classifies him as a strong-side defensive end. He shows the ability to shut down the run and set the edge. But he can also rush the passer. The Tigers, Gators and Gamecocks all run even and odd-front defenses, and all three would be able to capitalize on Bullard’s versatility. The services regard Bullard as a high four-star or even a five-star recruit.