The nation’s top ranked prospect in the 2021 class, DE Korey Foreman (6-4 260) of Corona, CA, has time on his hands this fall since they aren’t playing high schools games in California. So, the former Clemson commitment is checking out schools in his top five, even though there’s an NCAA mandated dead period in place. But top recruits are organizing their own social visits to some schools, and Foreman is part of that troupe.
Two weeks ago Foreman and his father flew to Atlanta and then drove over the Athens to visit Georgia again. There Foreman met up with his close friend, fellow five-star Maason Smith of Houma, LA, and others in a gathering organized by quarterback commitment Brock Vandagriff.
“When I was at Georgia, it was a fun experience,” Foreman said. “I was with some guys, lot of commits. It was more me being around the the setting of everything along with my dad. I wasn’t able to check out any facilities or anything like that. I’d been to Georgia, so I know what the facilities look like except for the new weight room they are installing.”
Did the thought of making the 75 mile drive up I-85 for a quick visit to the Clemson campus cross his mind? Foreman chuckled and said, “I was talking to my dad about it, but we didn’t have enough gas money.”
But Foreman and his dad are coming back to the Southeast this weekend to visit LSU where he no doubt will reconnect with his pal Maason, and the two can continue their conversations about going to the same school. LSU and Georgia are on Foreman’s published short list along with Clemson, Southern Cal, Alabama, Howard and Oregon.
Clemson has taken commitments from other defensive ends for the 2021 class, but the Tigers haven’t cashed out in the Foreman sweepstakes, They may be taking the low key approach, but the desire to have him in the program is still there.
“Same ole same ole,” Foreman said. “I talk to to those coaches as much as I do any coaches probably. I try and spread the wealth as much as possible, but I’m busy with school. I try and balance things as much as possible.”
Clemson defensive ends coach Todd Bates has been, and continues to be. Clemson’s lead recruiter for Foreman. He did the hard sell job earlier, and he got the commitment. That approach no longer is necessary.
“It’s just more of, hey Korey, how’s your day. It’s not just the recruiting aspect,” Foreman said. “Those are the conversations I look for rather than just talking about how great so and so school is, or how better my school is compared to that school. Those are the conversations I’d rather fall away from. The conversations I’d rather talk more about is how and I’m doing and how is the family, things like that.”
“Clemson still has a place in my heart,” Foreman continued, adding that he’s not talked with Bates about the off-campus unofficial visit, but he’d like to take one there. “I don’t have a top five yet, but when I do, they still are in it. Nothing has changed.”
Foreman said he’s not sure when he’ll name a top five, and he’d like to take official visits to those five if and when the NCAA lifts the dead period. He will be an early signee.
Foreman said he is participating in a full pad training camp at a prep school he attended in the 8th grade since he has no high school season this fall.
