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The Clemson coaching staff has landed a major verbal commitment in Lake City linebacker Scotty Cooper.

The four-star rated backer and member of the Rivals250 has been on campus in each of the last two days, attending the Tommy Bowden Camp, and before leaving today has decided to make a verbal pledge to Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden and wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney.

"I just committed a while ago," Cooper told Tigerillustrated.com briefly earlier. "I'm coming to Clemson. I'm still on campus. I'm going to be leaving later this afternoon, but I'm coming to Clemson."

Cooper's commitment to Clemson, as first reported by Tigerillustrated.com, becomes the ninth pledge for the Tigers, and the second from a linebacker, as earlier in the week Duncan - James F. Byrnes linebacker Stanley Hunter made his commitment known at a press conference.

Cooper, who chose the Orange & White over scholarship offers from Michigan, Tennessee, LSU, South Carolina, Penn State, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, N.C. State and Kentucky, also becomes the seventh Clemson pledge from an in-state prospect.

Tigerillustrated.com will have more on Cooper's commitment later this afternoon/evening.

1. Willy Korn (QB 6-2, 200) Duncan - Byrnes

2. Jarvis Jenkins (DL 6-4, 290) Central - Daniel

3. Xavier Dye (WR 6-4, 187) Greenwood

4. Wilson Norris (OL 6-5, 320) Pickens

5. David Smith (OL 6-5, 280) Greenville

6. Rennie Moore Jr. (DL 6-5, 260) St. Marys, Ga. - Camden County

7. Landon Walker (OL 6-6, 270) Ronda, NC - East Wilkes

8. Stanley Hunter (LB 5-11, 205) Duncan - James F. Byrnes

9. Scotty Cooper (LB 6-0, 206) Lake City