STRecruiting: Clemson and Oklahoma going toe-to-toe for 2028 LB Jay Schell

2028 LB Jay Schell (6-3 215) of Rabun Gap, GA, is a Clemson legacy. His dad was a quarterback for the Tigers and is now a pastor in the Clemson area, no less. But Oklahoma coach Brent Venables is one of the top defensive minds in the country, and he has the Sooners back in the national spotlight.

Schell has a tough decision to make after narrowing things this week to the Tigers and Sooners. He plans to visit Oklahoma next weekend, and Clemson the following weekend, and then make a decision sometime after that.

But at the same time, he’s also focused on his football season.

“To be honest with you, I’m kind of just, right now, just letting it play out, and my faith is big to me, so really just keeping the main thing the main thing, because at the end of the day, I’ve got to go play ball, and I’ve got to produce, and that’s the reason that these coaches are calling me,” Schell said.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has made it clear to Schell that he wants to keep his family’s tradition with Clemson alive.

“I was the first guy he (Swinney) offered for the 28 class, and he made that really clear to me, and he just basically said that they were doing that very intentionally,” Schell said. “He wants me to know I’m his priority, I’m Clemson’s priority, and I’m their guy. So that was part of them offering me first, just like a little statement that I’m their number one dude, not only as a linebacker, but I think in their 28 class, so that really spoke levels to me.”

And Schell has responded in kind with his interest in the Tigers.

“They’re definitely recruiting me hard and making me feel like I’m very important to them, and they’ve said that,” Schell said. “They’re definitely in my top couple of schools.”

His other offers include Georgia, Wisconsin, Colorado, Baylor, Arkansas, Stanford, Louisville, Miami, Oregon, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, North Carolina, Nebraska, Florida, Florida State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Boston College, and others.

Last season, Schell was in on 77 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and three sacks.