Working ahead of the curve, Tigers looking at smaller recruiting class in 2013

For Dabo Swinney, National Signing Day symbolically marks the end of one season and the beginning of the next.

In reality, the Clemson coaching staff has been working on 2012 – and beyond – for quite a while.

In the recruiting arena, coordinator Jeff Scott says the Tigers work at least 18 months in advance; and in some cases even more, as evidenced by the commitment on Wednesday of quarterback Deshaun Watson – a high school sophomore from Gainesville, GA – for Clemson’s recruiting class of 2014.

Swinney said he and his coaches spent much of Wednesday on the telephone with junior prospects. The Tigers already have two commitments – from R.J. Prince, on offensive lineman from Albemarle, NC, and D.J. Greenlee, a linebacker from nearby Daniel High School – for what promises to be a carefully-selected 2013 class.

“We’ve been on the phone with a lot of those guys today,” said Swinney Wednesday afternoon. “The number is probably going to be between 11 and 16 guys. There’s always some wiggle room, with guys going pro early or graduating early. Some guys may want to go somewhere else (after graduation, with eligibility remaining) for an opportunity to play more.

“Those are things that happen, or maybe a guy academically doesn’t make it. So it’s a very fluid situation.

“But it’ll be a smaller class, definitely.”

The Tigers brought in 27 players last year, and signed 20 on Wednesday.

Swinney said the coaching staff already has a handle on its recruiting priorities for the 2013 cycle.

“Obviously, we’ll be looking for a running back,” Swinney said. “That will be critical for us. We’ll want to go out and sign a couple of great wide-outs. We won’t sign as many offensive linemen next year, but you always try to sign a couple.

“A quarterback, maybe – or maybe we’ll just hold that number. It would have to be the right guy. We’ll probably try to sign another tight end, and then the defensive line is always a huge emphasis for us. I believe that’s where your football team is built. End, in particular, is a place where we have to continue to grow our team up. We lose Malliciah (Goodman) after next year, so we need to go out and grad another difference-maker or two at that position.

“And we’re always looking for speed and playmakers. But it’s going to be a little tighter group than last year and this year.”

Scott agrees with Swinney about the fluid nature of Clemson’s recruiting numbers.

“Last year at this time, the number we were kicking around for this class was somewhere between 14 and 16,” Scott said. “But as we got closer, it grew to the 20 or 21 number because of guys who graduated early, or Dwayne Allen, or guys who moved on through attrition.

“I think you have to start low with your number. Coaches can get excited, because there are a lot of good players out there looking around, and Clemson is a very attractive place. We like to keep it conservative and then let it grow over time, as we see fit.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if at this time next year we were looking at something in the 15-16 range. I think that’s a realistic number. But right now the number we’re working off of is 12.”

Smaller numbers translates to a higher degree of selectivity, Scott said. And sometimes it means “moving on” once position quotas are reached.

“The numbers come into play as far as the offers we’re giving out right now,” Scott said. “The guys we’re offering right now we think are franchise-type players.

“There will still be spring evaluations and summer camp, and we’ll extend some more offers as we go. But right now we have some pretty tight numbers for 2013.”