Dabo Swinney’s speech to a group of recruits recently was so good that one former NFL running back was ready to commit. Instead, it was his son that committed to the Tigers. Elite Retreat visitor Brayden Jacobs, of Alpharetta (GA) Buford, announced his pledge following Swinney’s sales pitch on the Clemson program to wrap up the weekend.
“At the end of the Elite Junior Day, before we went to his house, he gave a very long presentation about what Clemson really is,” Jacobs said. “Clemson is different. It’s special. It’s about brotherhood and family, and it has the most family feel that I’ve ever had. And that’s really when I knew I wanted to go there. Even Jaylen Beckley committing, that helped me decide that I wanted to go there because it just felt right.”
He is the son of former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs, who played his college football at both Auburn and Southern Illinois. Jacobs visited for the Florida State game last year and also made stops at Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee. His commitment, which is the ninth in Clemson’s 2025 class, received the blessing of both mom and dad.
“I talked it over with him (Jacob’s father), and then we called my mom talking about it, and both of them said if this is where I want to go and I’m sure that I can do it. And I did it.”
Jacobs’ father was actually ready to commit earlier in the day.
“My dad, in the meeting, whenever Coach Swinney finished, he told Coach Swinney that if he was a player he would have just committed,” Jacobs joked. “So, we were eating dinner at Coach Swinney’s house, and Coach Swinney said, ‘You heard your dad, right?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ And Coach Swinney said, ‘Even your dad said he would commit.’ And that’s when I told him, ‘I am coming to Clemson coach.’ He got all excited and told me to say it louder.”
Jacobs’ relationship with new offensive line coach Matt Luke also had an impact.
“I have got a chance to meet Coach Luke. I’ve been up there twice since he’s been coach,” he said. “I actually really like him. I like him more than Coach Austin because he sent more people to the NFL, and he has a genuine connection with all of his offensive linemen on and off the field.”
Jacobs said he thinks the Tigers aren’t done with the offensive line, but he also likes the 2025 recruiting class as a whole.
“I think we’ll definitely get one or two more. We have Gideon (Davidson) and Blake (Hebert), the quarterback that’s also committed,” Jacobs bragged. “I think Clemson has a really good chance to be the number one 2025 recruiting class.”