One of Clemson’s top offensive line targets has circled the Tigers’ upcoming Elite Junior Day, because it’s an opportunity for him to spend some time with new offensive line coach Matt Luke. Jaylan Beckley of Longview (TX) Trinity Christian Academy, who has offers from the likes of Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and Tennessee, received a Clemson offer last summer and is excited to visit campus when the Tigers host the top junior prospects January 27th.
The first step in keeping Beckley in the fold was a conversation with Luke, who replaced Thomas Austin in December.
“It was awesome because there was a lot of kind of nerves around a new coach being here because I’ve been building this relationship with Coach Austin and he’s kind of how I got introduced to Clemson,” Beckley explained. “So, he was like one of the first guys I talked to at Clemson. And so, I really built a good relationship with him, especially when I went up there for camp. So, to learn that he wasn’t gonna be there anymore was a surprise to me. I was a little nervous to see, not nervous, I’d say more anxious and ready to see who the new coach was gonna be.”
Luke didn’t wait long before contacting Beckley.
“Once I saw it was coach Luke, I was just ready to have a conversation with him and kinda get a feel for him and see if we’d be a fit just like me and coach Austin,” he said. “I was very excited once we got to talking. I feel pretty good about him.”
What was Luke’s sales pitch?
“His biggest message to me was how much he cares about my character and the type of person I am,” Beckley noted. “Of course, he did talk a bit about just my athletic ability and the things he likes about me. And that he’s just really excited to get me down there so we can have a good long conversation to really kind of introduce ourselves to each other for the first time, face to face.”
Beckley said he is looking forward to the Elite Junior Day visit.
“I think it’ll be really good. I’m most excited for that because a lot of times during camp visits, those are really just business,” he stated. “So, it’s hard for the coaches to be focused on much of anything else. They still did an amazing job while I was up there, making sure that I spent my time wisely, and that was appreciated. But I think it’ll be a lot better for me and for them just for us both to be able to really have like a conversation with each other and spend some time with each other in kind of a more relaxed environment. I’m very excited about that.”
He is also anxious for the chance to hang out with head coach Dabo Swinney.
“The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is just getting more personal time with Coach Swinney,” he blushed. “That and getting more familiar with Coach Luke and just being able to meet him, face to face, put a face to a name in person. And probably one of the other biggest things is seeing the other recruits and other guys that they have there and seeing potential guys that I could be playing with. Just seeing kind of talking to them a little bit and getting a feel for them.”
Beckley said he was unfamiliar with Luke before the hire, but that quickly changed.
“I did my research on him once I figured out that he was hired as the coach at Clemson. He had a very impressive resume.”
Beckley said he plans to drop a list of his top eight or so schools right around the time of the visit, and he detailed which schools are recruiting him the hardest.
“Clemson has definitely been up there. Others showing the most interest are Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, Kansas, LSU, Texas A&M, and Duke,” he said. “Baylor has also been showing interest.”