Diehl commits to Clemson
Duncan (SC) Byrnes linebacker Chad Diehl got the offer he's always dreamed of. Clemson provided a tender and the 6-1, 233-pound two star recruit jumped on it today verbally committing to the Tigers.
"Yes sir, I got the offer I've been waiting for and committed," Diehl told Tigerillustrated.com earlier this afternoon. "It's awesome man. It's the offer I've been praying for. The second I heard I got the offer I committed."
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He's the fourth player from his high school team to commit to Clemson this year joining Willy Korn, Xavier Dye and Stanley Hunter.
"It's awesome that we will be together in college," Diehl said. "It's good to be able to play with people you care about and know so well. We are excited for each other."
Diehl chose Clemson over offers from Wake Forest, his runner-up, Duke, Virginia Tech and Marshall.
"Wake Forest offered and I told Coach (David) Blackwell when I was up (at the Louisiana Tech-Clemson game this past Saturday) that I was ready to get it over with," Diehl admitted. "He said (the Tigers staff) would have a meeting and discuss offering me and I'd know more this week."
So when did he find out?
"I was on a field trip all day in Columbia and I guess coach (Billy) Napier and coach Blackwell called my coach – coach (Bobby) Bentley – this morning around 11 a.m. with the offer," Diehl described. "Coach B told me when I got back and I started yelling. The second I heard I told Willy and he tackled me."
Diehl felt it was only a matter of time before he would become a Tiger.
"I've been talking to them throughout the whole season," he exclaimed. "Virginia Tech filled up and Wake Forest was close (to filling up). I didn't want to be left out in the cold with only Duke and Marshall. I knew all along even before they offered that I would commit to Clemson."
Will the upstate athlete enroll with the Tigers in the summer of 2007 or in January of 2008 as a grayshirt?
"As of right now, I'm set to join the rest of this class on full scholarship as an athlete when they enroll (next summer), but if they run over, I'll be taking a grayshirt," Diehl stated.
The talented two-way star anchors the defense for Byrnes, ranked as the nation's No. 2 team by USA Today.
Clemson sees him playing inside linebacker or possibly elsewhere.
"They said I may play a tight end or H-Back role possibly," Diehl said. "They are getting a work hard person and a weight room guy that tries to work harder than anyone else."
Diehl carries a 3.5 GPA. He can bench press 350 pounds and squat 470 pounds.
Clemson 2007 verbal commitments
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
10. Mason Cloy (OL 6-4, 265) Columbia – Spring Valley
11. Marcus Gilchrist (DB 5-11, 175) High Point, NC – T.W. Andrews
12. Brian Linthicum (TE 6-4, 225) Charlottesville, Va. - St. Anne's-Belfield.
13. Drew Traylor (DL 6-4, 224) Mountain Brook, Ala.
14. Chad Diehl (LB/TE 6-1, 233) Duncan - James F. Byrnes
15. DeAndre McDaniel (DB 6-2, 197) Hargrave Military Academy
16. Jo Jo Cox (RB 5-9, 213) Fork Union Military Academy