Richard Young (6-0 190) of Lehigh Acres (FL) is currently listed as the #1 running back and 19th rated player overall for the 2023 class in the 247Sports Composite rankings and the Clemson Tigers have taken notice. The 5-star back recently had a chance to visit with the Clemson staff on a Zoom call and that conversation could spark a visit to the Upstate this summer.
The rising junior has already collected over thirty offers from Power 5 programs including, Alabama, Ohio State, and Oklahoma. He is setting up his visits for the summer and Clemson looks to be in the mix to host Young in late July. Tigers running back coach CJ Spiller has been the lead recruiter for Young and the Zoom call provided both an opportunity to learn more about each other.
“They were excited, and I was too to get on the Zoom call with them,” Young says. “They introduced themselves and they told me everything about Clemson and the relationship they have with each other. I also learned a lot about them and the program, and it was a blessing hearing the things I like to hear.”
As a former All-American in both high school and college, Spiller has immediate credibility with recruits. However, Young says the bond between the two goes well beyond the gridiron.
“I’ve talked to Clemson before with CJ Spiller, and we started building a relationship together,” the 2023 recruit notes. “They were making me feel comfortable (on the Zoom call), and just knowing them better as a coach besides just football, but also being a good person on and off the field.”
Young has visits scheduled to Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, and Alabama for June. He also hopes to visit Oklahoma, and Clemson could be another landing spot in July. So how will the talented running back evaluate each program during his summer visits?
“The things I’m looking for in a school is the coaches, the relationship with them, and also the offensive linemen,” he said. “And their running style and if the plays they run fit me the best.”
Clemson will start sending out offers for the 2023 class in June and Young looks to be on his way to receiving one from the Tigers. Does he think Clemson can be a major contender in his recruitment? Absolutely.
“I don’t know a lot about them, but I love how they use their running backs.”
As a multi-sport athlete, Young also stars on his high school track team. He was named a Freshman All-American by MaxPreps in 2019 and ran for over 900 yards with 12 touchdowns as a sophomore.
