1. Toward the finish line they go.
That's a bit of an exaggeration. There is no end to recruiting, and Clemson is just getting started in building the foundation for its 2023 class.
But 10 days remain until the Feb. 2 traditional signing day, and this following week in particular amounts to a closing sprint to the next station.
Clemson has just concluded its major official visit weekend, wherein it played host to four of the biggest names left on the board.
Dabo Swinney has the next five weekdays to conduct his in-home visits with the remaining targets.
Then Clemson holds its signature elite junior day Saturday, where it typically brings in about two dozen higher-profile prospects -- a group mostly composed of their initially offered targets.
Not to mention one lingering four-star target for this class will be on campus for his official visit.
The quiet period kicks in after next Sunday night. Then the Tigers wait for the final signatures, survey the scene after their junior day and move toward building their guest list for their next junior day (March 12) in conjunction with a spring practice.
Clemson climbed six spots in the Rivals.com team recruiting class rankings to No. 29 overall with last week's two commitments, and it could wind up adding six more prospects to the point total.
Landing them all would put the Tigers at 2,112 points, which elevates them in contention for a class ranked somewhere between Nos. 11-15. That's probably still their range if they score the two four-stars and just three of the four others, though Florida, Miami and USC are going to have a say as well with big climbs.
From where the Tigers were, that isn't shabby ... and essentially would mirror their season.
2. Let's start with maybe the most popular figure of the four who visited this past weekend.
Clemson got its swing at Dallas (Texas) Parish Episcopal running back Andrew Paul, who has evolved into one of the hottest recruits of the late signing period.
We introduced Paul (5-11, 225) as having gotten the staff's attention in October, and he soon became the next in line for if Trevor Etienne went elsewhere. Etienne pledged to Florida, and the Tigers summarily formalized their offer two weeks ago.
