2025 WR David Rodriguez (6-1 165) of Providence, RI spent the first part of the week in South Carolina before heading back home Thursday. His grandmother lives in Greenville, and his original plan was to visit USC and stay around for the Kentucky game Saturday. Instead, he visited the Gamecocks Tuesday and then Clemson Wednesday. He said he needed to return home to get back to school.
Rodriguez said both visits were beneficial to the schools as he thinks about his future. USC receivers coach Justin Stepp is leading the effort to bring him to Columbia.
“I saw the whole campus, every facility they have. I really enjoyed it up there,” Rodgriguez said. “They have a good sports management program, and that’s something I’m very interested in, and I enjoyed that. Coach Stepp is a very genuine guy. He and my parents connected a lot. My mom really liked him a lot. I just want to continue building relationships with them.”
Stepp showed Rodriguez how he would use him in the receiver rotation and was able to use Xavier Legette as a guy under his tutelage who has blossomed this season.
“I was told I’m one of those receivers that can play the slot receiver and the outside receiver just because of my size,” Rodriguez said. “He said I’m able to be anywhere on the field really. I definitely love the production of Xavier. I spoke with him, and he told me coach Stepp is a great coach and he told me I can really have trust in him. And he told me that he’s going to get me right for sure.”
After spending his time with the Gamecocks, they remain among his posted favorites along with Michigan, Maryland, Georgia and Penn State.
“They’ve been in my top five and are definitely still up there,” Rodriguez said. “They definitely solidified and kept their spot up there.”
Rodriguez has a connection to USC through committed quarterback Dante Reno. They were once teammates at the Loomis Chaffee school.
Wednesday, Rodriguez and family members spent the day at Clemson meeting with receivers coach Tyler Grisham, checking out the campus and looking deeply into the football program, which included watching practice in the afternoon.
“I saw a lot of freshmen on the field, and I like that a lot,” Rodriguez said. “They are really big on developing their players, so that’s something I also liked about Clemson. I was in both the receiver meeting and the team meeting, and coach Grisham told me he really wants to take his time with the process. He wants me to definitely check out a game and keep in touch and continue to build relationships.”
That would include building the relationship with Grisham who laid out for him is plans for him with the Tigers.
“He told me I’d be a slot receiver at Clemson,” Rodriguez said. “He actually played wide receiver, so he said he sees a lot of him in me. They haven’t offered me yet. He said that they’ve only offered two 2025 wide receivers and I believe both are in state. He said he wants me to keep in touch.”
Despite not yet having an offer from Clemson, Rodriguez feels good enough about what he saw and heard from Grisham and Dabo Swinney to keep the Tigers under consideration.
“They are definitely getting up there,” Rodriguez said. “My guy, Blake Hebert, he’s committed there as a 2024 quarterback. That connection me and him have, hopefully we could reconnect at the next level, and I know we could do big things.”
Rodriguez took in games at Michigan and Florida this season. He does not have plans for any more games. The next step in the recruiting process for him is to make his decision.
“I plan on making the decision real soon,” Rodriguez said. “Real soon. I’ll say early next year I’ll say something. I have a good idea (on where he wants to go to school).”
