It’s now hard to fathom that less than a decade ago, Clemson rarely strayed beyond a specific geographic recruiting footprint.

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If it was more than a six-hour drive from campus, the Tigers were apprehensive in courting a prospect unless there were mitigating circumstances.

ALSO SEE: Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting wins in Georgia | Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting wins in South Carolina | Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting wins in North Carolina | Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting wins in Florida | Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting wins in Virginia | Dabo Swinney's biggest recruiting wins in Alabama

Mounting successes on the national stage have empowered Clemson to broaden its reach from coast to coast.

ALSO SEE: IN THEIR WORDS: Roman Fry | IN THEIR WORDS: Brandon Maye | IN THEIR WORDS: Dalton Freeman | IN THEIR WORDS: Ricky Sapp | IN THEIR WORDS: Tig Willard | IN THEIR WORDS: Reggie Merriweather | IN THEIR WORDS: Billy Davis | IN THEIR WORDS: Jock McKissic | IN THEIR WORDS: Durrell Barry | IN THEIR WORDS: Chris Chancellor | IN THEIR WORDS: Willie Simmons | IN THEIR WORDS: Mark Buchholz | IN THEIR WORDS: Stanley Hunter | IN THEIR WORDS: Derrick Hamilton | IN THEIR WORDS: Ben Hall | IN THEIR WORDS: Woody Dantzler | IN THEIR WORDS: Chris Hairston | IN THEIR WORDS: Patrick Sapp | IN THEIR WORDS: Cullen Harper | IN THEIR WORDS: Derrick Brantley | IN THEIR WORDS: Kyle Browning | IN THEIR WORDS: Mason Cloy | IN THEIR WORDS: Cory Lambert | IN THEIR WORDS: David Dunham | IN THEIR WORDS: Rashaad Jackson | IN THEIR WORDS: David Smith | IN THEIR WORDS: Brandon Ford

In this feature, Tigerillustrated.com takes an inside look at the best Clemson has procured for specific states or geographic battlegrounds.

Here are the highest-ranked signees from the northeast during the Dabo Swinney era: