Clemson football proved Sunday they can win over four-star talents still. Even if it means pulling past Southeastern Conference powers like Florida and Georgia. And this four-star prospect is expected to bolster the Tigers’ offensive line under Dabo Swinney.
Clemson won over interior offensive lineman Chance Barclay, verbally committing to the Tigers via Hayes Fawcett of On3. The 2026 prospect also turned down one more SEC power in Oklahoma to chose the Atlantic Coast Conference champs.
“All Glory to God! Blessed to be able to praise him at this school! GO TIGERS!” Barclay told Fawcett after verbally committing.
Barclay is bringing towering size to Death Valley through the 2026 class. He stands at 6-foot-4, 290-pounds. He’s also the 17th-best IOL for the ’26 class by On3.
Florida originally looked like the team to beat for the standout out of The First Academy in Orlando. The Gators were given a 42% prediction to land Barclay by On3. Instead Swinney and company win him over.
Clemson recruiting class compared to Florida, Georgia and other powers
Clemson isn’t where USC is for the ’26 recruiting class rankings. The Big Ten representative Trojans sit at the top with the nation’s current No. 1 class.
However, Clemson holds this title via 247Sports: The ACC’s top-ranked recruiting class. They’ve landed seven four-star prospects out of the 11 verbal commits the Tigers have received.
But Clemson finds itself sharking the Trojans. The Tigers have moved to No. 3 in the recruiting rankings and now trail Oregon and USC. That also means no one from the SEC is in the top three currently. Clemson sat at No. 22 back on Feb. 22, and during a time the program hosted four-star wide receiver Naeem Burroughs on a visit.
Swinney once got ripped for struggling to adjust to the new climate of college football. He often avoided the transfer portal to continue luring in high school talent. But ACC challengers began to pass Clemson up.
Swinney now has adjusted, securing talented pass rusher Will Heldt out of Purdue in December. But the two-time national title game winner is proving he’s still got recruiting prowess left in him. This time helping beat out a trio of historic college programs from the SEC to land his newest four-star find Barclay.
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