1. It's that time again.
The end of the summer is formally here for Clemson, with today's All-In Cookout marking the annual closure for offseason recruiting efforts as the page formally turns to August camp and preseason prep.
After June official visits, the NCAA has a month-long dead period during which no recruiting visits are allowed.
Doors are then opened for one week before shutting again to give colleges next month to focus on the players they already have.
So the contact period begins today, and just as they did last month by staking claim to the opening official visit weekend, the Tigers have unconventionally scheduled their summer social on a Monday evening -- whereas most other schools have events lined up for the weekend.
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Clemson goes into the week with 17 commitments -- good for the nation's No. 5-ranked recruiting class by Rivals.com.
Based on our information, 16 of the 17 are slated to be on campus today. Warminster (Pa.) Archbishop Wood tight end Markus Dixon could not make it.
That success rate is hardly insignificant when you consider some are coming from Texas, Alabama and Florida on a weekday when parents otherwise have to work.
An asterisk, they won't all be there at the same time. Our understanding is that because Georgia high schools begin practice today, some might only be on hand for the afternoon or the night.
But almost the whole gang is slated to be there, which matters for retention efforts and the continued fostering of a family mentality.
2. Before we dig in a little more, a popular question we field pertains to which commitments are early enrollees and which are pegged to enroll in the summer of 2023 (late June).
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The disclaimer we try to circle is, it's fluid. Every year, there is a prospect or two who says he's graduating early who ends up not on that course.
So with that, here's where the list stands:
Birmingham (Ala.) Briarwood Christian four-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson four-star defensive lineman Peter Woods, Warner Robins (Ga.) four-star defensive tackle Vic Burley, Riverview (Fla.) Sumner four-star safety Kylen Webb, Austin (Texas) Vandegrift four-star lineman Ian Reed, Rockwall (Texas) four-star receiver Noble Johnson, Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek four-star linebacker Jamal Anderson and Alpharetta (Ga.) Denmark four-star linebacker Dee Crayton all plan to report to campus in January.
The definitive summer enrollees are Rome (Ga.) four-star defensive tackle Stephiylan Green, Atlanta (Ga.) St. Francis four-star corner Branden Strozier, Naples (Fla.) First Baptist tight end Olsen Henry, McDonough (Ga.) Eagle's Landing Christian Academy four-star lineman Zechariah Owens, Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake four-star cornerback Avieon Terrell and Dixon.
College Park (Ga.) Woodward Academy four-star defensive end AJ Hoffler will almost assuredly have to wait as well because his school doesn't have midyear graduation.
