Clemson Thursday night received a public commitment from OL Bryn Tucker (6-5 310) of Knoxville, one of the top players in the Tennessee for the 2020 class and a nationally regarded prospect as an offensive guard. His commitment gives the Tigers five offensive linemen for the class. He also joins receivers Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers as major prospects in the Knoxville area to choose Clemson in recent years.
Tucker announced his commitment in a podcast hosted by Jesse Smithey of 5StarPreps.com. In the podcast, Tucker said Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell started recruiting him in October and the two developed a close relationship. He visited Clemson in January and was offered by Dabo Swinney, and from that point, he said, the Tigers were paramount in his mind.
“They’ve got everything you need in life,” Tucker told Smithey. “They’ve got the education. They’ve got the professors that lead you in the right way to get you to the highest peak. And coach Dabo and coach Caldwell, they are some great people, some major leaders. They push the players to the limit. You get down there, it’s business and you’re also getting a good education. It’s been in my heart ever since my visit and I just can’t get it off my mind. This is the school I want to be at. My family and I made a decision and we were happy with it and glad to be a Clemson Tiger.”
Tucker said during the interview Clemson plays to play him at guard and he feels that’s the best place for him in their offensive structure.
“I’m like a building, like a brick wall,” Tucker said. “I’m pretty big, 6-5 right now and weighing 310. They like my foot speed and the way I finish people and that I’m a nasty player. They run a spread, too, and I’m use to playing spread. I’m used to outside zone. I’m use to always blocking on the outside. I’ve watched Clemson do that in the national championship and it was pretty impressive how they ran it.”
Tucker added during the podcast that the relationships he build with Caldwell during the recruiting process was key in his decision.
“I was talking with him and I can relate to him,” he said. “Everything we talked about we almost had in common. I like that about a coach. And talking to coach Swinney, we have a lot in common, too. I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Tucker said Clemson and Virginia Tech were the only schools he visited this year. He also had offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Alabama, LSU, Georgia Tech, Southern Cal, Virginia and others. He gives Clemson nine total commitments in the class. He plans to sign in December and enroll in January.
