Clemson’s attempt at landing a high profile quarterback in the 2021 class, to this point, has failed. Another target, five-star Caleb Williams of Washington, DC, Monday announced a final three of Oklahoma, LSU and Maryland cutting Clemson and Penn State. It’s not that Clemson has an issue at the position. There’s a combined 14 stars worth of quarterbacks in the room. At that’s the problem.
No 2021 five star or four star worth his Twitter edit wants to go to Clemson and sit behind DJ Uiagalelei. So, the Tigers are going to have to step down a level or two to find someone willing to come in and wait. No new offers have gone out but the Tigers have made contact with two possibilities.
Lucas Coley (6-2 205) of San Antonio, is rated a three-star in the 247Sports Composite and the #19 dual threat quarterback in the country. He had planned to announce a commitment last Friday, probably to Arkansas, but put that off to give him more time to further evaluate things, including the potential of a Clemson offer.
“Coach Streeter asked me to push the (commitment) date back,” Coley said. “They said I stood out on film to them and they want to continue to recruit me heavily. We talked for an hour a few days ago. Coach Streeter said they only have one guy offered and they went back and looked at film and I really jumped out to them. Later this week we’re going to have a video chat and break down film and just go from there.”
And where might it go from there? Possibly to an offer, one that would trump most of the other 30-plus offers Coley owns
“That’s championship territory,” he said. “That’s always the goal where ever you go, you want to go somewhere you can win championships. They produce players in the NFL each year and that’s my goal. Just to go where that’s the expectation and that’s the culture. Clemson is the place to go and be developed as a quarterback. Kelly Bryant, Deshaun Watson, Trevor Lawrence and now DJ. That just speaks for itself. That would be huge for me as a quarterback. Just knowing that I could go play for a historic program and win some more championships, and that’s ultimately the goal.”
Coley said the next step in the process, since things are so new with Clemson, is to get to know the coaches better and further develop the relationship.
“I want to know that me and Coach Streeter have a connection and that I can see myself being coached by him for the next 4-5 years,” Coley said. “I know that’s not how it always works out at the college level and coaches rotate in and out each year, but I want to go to a coach that I feel like can develop me and make me the best I can be so when the draft comes I can be prepared. Clemson told me they want me to come visit when everything opens up. If I’m not committed at that time and I have an opportunity to be a Clemson Tiger, then I will definitely make the trip up there.”
Coley just added an offer from Vanderbilt Monday. Some of his other offers are Arkansas, UNLV, Washington State, USF, UTEP, San Diego State, Nevada, Coastal Carolina, Western Kentucky, Rice and Missouri State.
The other quarterback to catch Steeter’s attention is Bubba Chandler (6-4 195) of Bogart, GA, just outside Athens, who has committed to Georgia for baseball as a righthanded pitcher and shortstop. His football offers have been light with the likes of Elon, Gardner-Webb, Western Kentucky, Mercer. Troy and Charlotte. But Clemson is now showing interest and is talking.
“My head coach called me and said he had talked to both Mickey Conn and coach Brandon Streeter,” Chandler said. “He told me that Coach Streeter was going to call and we had a great conversation. He was talking about how he wants to build a relationship with me, and he really likes my film and the way I play. He wants me to come on campus.”
Chandler would like to play both sports in college, and he had some contact with Clemson baseball before committing to Georgia last June. An offer now from Clemson would shake things up for him.
“No doubt I would seriously consider Clemson. You can see that they have won two National Championships and they are in contention every year,” Chandler said. “They are the top-notch program from the football standpoint. They also have the nicest football facilities in the country. Death Valley is somewhere that is an awesome place to play. And Coach (Dabo) Swinney is a very Christian man and I am a very Christian man as well, so I love that about him. And from what everyone tells me, it is a real family up there and I like that. If Clemson offers me they will definitely be at the top.”
Chandler accounted for 30 touchdowns last season. He has not been rated by 247Sports or Rivals.
