Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and cornerbacks coach Mike Reed went all in on a top cornerback target during Saturday’s junior day event. Jayden Aparicio-Bailey (6-2 190) of Prattville, AL made the trip with his family, and the Tigers took a big step forward in their battle with Georgia and others for his commitment.
“I was there for 3 days,” Bailey said. “They treated my family and me super well, and I got to spend a lot of time with the guys like Ashton Hampton.”
Part of the visit was spent watching the Tigers on the practice field. Aparicio-Bailey watched how defensive coordinator Tom Allen ran things, and felt a certain comfort level with what he was watching.
“Coach Allen’s defense is super similar to my high school, so just going through the meeting, I know I would thrive in his scheme,” Bailey said. “I was just looking for the scheme and how I would fit, and I definitely got that.”
This was the first spring visit for Aparicio-Bailey. Coming up will be visits to Ohio State, Ole Miss, Southern Cal, Auburn, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and lastly, Georgia. The Tigers and Bulldogs have been viewed as his two favorites, but after this visit, there’s only one.
“Clemson is definitely at the top of the list, and I can’t wait to come back for my official visit,” Bailey said. “I want to commit in the summer after OVs. I have Georgia locked in right now, and I’m just going through my spring visits before I crack down on my OVs.”
Aparicio-Bailey has an official visit with Clemson on May 29th and one with Georgia on June 5th.