Clemson broke its recruiting protocol earlier this week with an offer to 2023 cornerback Avieon Terrell (5-10 165) of Atlanta. But the parties know each other well and that’s why Dabo Swinney signed off on an offer to a freshman. Terrell is the younger brother of former Clemson corner AJ Terrell, a first round pick in last week’s draft. Avieon is following in his brother’s footsteps as a high major recruit and is already compiling an impressive offer list.
Clemson joined USC, LSU, Louisville, Georgia, Colorado, Miami, Arizona State, Florida, Michigan State, Tennessee, Nebraska, Kentucky and Georgia Tech as some of the schools on that list. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables and cornerbacks coach Mike Reed delivered the news.
“It felt great because Clemson is my dream school,” Terrell said. “That is where my brother went. They called my head coach and then they FaceTimed my brother.”
Terrell, expressing the confidence of a front line corner, said there’s no reason for any Clemson fans to question why an offer should go out to such a young player. He feels he’s worthy of it.
“What people don’t know is that I am not a regular freshman. I can play,” Terrell said. “Second, Trevor Lawrence got his going into his junior year and Deshaun Watson got his going into his tenth-grade year, so I am like the only one in Clemson history to get that offer. And when I went to the Clemson camp, I was the only 8th grader going against high school players and locking them down. So, I brought that to the eyes of the coaches.”
“Some people might think I only got the offer because of my brother,” Terrell continued. “That is what they will say. But people need to go look at my film. I know there are people that think that, but I work. I earned a lot of things and not everything is because of my brother.”
Terrell camped at Clemson as an 8th grader and caught the eyes of the coaches there when he more than held his own against older players. He started last season in a tough Georgia league and had five interceptions. He is close to his brother and leans on him for advice. Advantage Clemson, no doubt.
“Clemson already feels like home. Clemson felt like home for my brother,” he said. “And even if he didn’t go to Clemson, that would be my dream school. It was dream school before he went there. Clemson and Florida are my top two.”
