While set to have one of the better offensive lines in the country this season, Clemson continues to build their foundation of it for the future with a third of their incoming freshmen this cycle being offensive linemen. One of their lowest-rated of the five, though, is already outperforming with the Tigers. Dabo Swinney spoke […]
While set to have one of the better offensive lines in the country this season, Clemson continues to build their foundation of it for the future with a third of their incoming freshmen this cycle being offensive linemen. One of their lowest-rated of the five, though, is already outperforming with the Tigers.
Dabo Swinney spoke about those freshmen working on their offensive line while meeting with the media on Wednesday. However, Swinney singled out Gavin Blanchard, a three-star on the interior, as someone who has really impressed them and who that he’s glad that they got considering they flipped him on the recruiting trail back in November.
“I mean, I’m gonna tell ya. The kid that nobody talks about is Gavin Blanchard,” said Swinney. “You know, he was kind of like a lost guy in this class, but that’s a good football player right there. He’s a dirtbag. He’s a really good football player. He’s a smart football player. He just, he’s just one of those guys that, that plays better than his attributes, I guess is the best way I can say it, say that. You know, he’s worked some center, he’s worked guard, he’s worked (tackle). I mean, he’s just a smart kid. But he is tough, strong hands, really good leverage football player.”
“This little Gavin Blanchard now? He’s a really good addition for us,” Swinney said. “I’m glad we got him. Kind of guy that we got in on a little late but I’m really glad we got him.”
Blanchard, a Tampa native, is a product out of Jesuit. He rated just outside the Top-1,000 overall in the 2025 recruiting cycle while also rating among the Top-100 IOL and a Top-150 player out of the state of Florida. That’s according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Blanchard originally committed to stay in-state at UCF last year back in June. Clemson then came in and flipped him nearly five months later, pairing him alongside Brayden Jacobs (No. 159, No. 15 OT), Easton Ware (No. 427, No. 35 IOL), Rowan Byrne (No. 633, No. 53 IOL), and Tucker Kattus (No. 1,265, No. 104 IOL) as part of the Top-25 incoming class for the Tigers. Those five are among the young names working, or working to get healthy, at fall camp so far for Clemson.
“Well, we’ve got to get two of them back. I mean, we’ve got to get, you know – Brayden and Easton were down today but hopefully we’ll get them back, you know, soon,” said Swinney. “But, it’s a good group.”
“Everybody talks about Easton and Brayden, and as they should. And, Rowan Byrne is coming in there. We’ve got Watson Young back,” Swinney continued.
Still, of all of them, Blanchard was the one who earned this separate recognition from Swinney. That’s with a ways for him to still go to become the contributor he could be on their offensive line in the future at Clemson.
“I think he’s got a chance to be a good football player if he’ll stick with it,” Swinney said.
Category: General Sports
