Countdown to Signing Day: Clemson staying home, also expanding recruiting geography

Recruiting geography changes by coach, but most schools have certain territories marked out.

Of Clemson’s 18 commits, seven hail from the home state, four are from Georgia and two from Florida, with one each from five more states (Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, New York and Hawaii).

Of the signing day shots, Dabo Swinney is centering on targets from traditional pipelines, in Ga. (DE Carl Lawson and DT Montravius Adams), Fla. (CBs Adrian Baker and Mackensie Alexander) and N.C. (OG Tyrone Crowder and S Korrin Wiggins).

Since Swinney took over in 2009, the state of South Carolina has made-up a 43 percent majority of the commits/signees.

Next-highest is Georgia (14.8) and then North Carolina (13.6) – Florida is up to 9.1 percent.

The numbers are similar down-state with the Gamecocks, with over 40 percent of their returning roster from the Palmetto State, but they have more Georgia (6) than S.C. (3) commits for this cycle. Recruiting site opinions are mixed on the two classes, with the Tigers ahead of USC by Scout and ESPN and behind in Rivals and 247Sports.

While centered in the South – in the last five years, Clemson has signed (or hopes to sign) two from Delaware (RT Gifford Timothy and DT Josh Watson) and New York (QB Chad Kelly and DE Ebenezer Ogundeko) and one each from Hawaii (DT Scott Pagano), Ohio (QB Cole Stoudt), Maryland (LB Dorian O’Daniel) and Minnesota (Bryce McNeal, who transferred).

This year’s class has been the most diverse yet, in eight different states, with the second-lowest make-up of S.C. players (38.8 percent and lower with any signing day commitments).

Next Wednesday, the Tigers hope to land their most Georgia commits since 2010 (5), after none in 2012, and need a couple for the most Florida commits since 2011 (4).