As we documented to close our Monday Insider item about him, slow and steady has been Clemson’s tried-and-true recruiting formula.

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Matthews (N.C.) Weddington four-star running back Will Shipley announced his commitment Tuesday to the Tigers.

Shipley (5-11, 200), ranked No. 46 nationally by Rivals.com, had offers from all the national names.

But the Tigers beat a handful of programs with a couple of inherent advantages – Notre Dame and N.C. State specifically – to snap up their multi-purpose target.

Shipley has drawn the natural comparison to NFL standout and fellow Charlotte resident Christian McCaffrey as a back with speed who also thrives as a pass-catcher.

Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott fell in love with that versatility when Shipley competed at the Dabo Swinney Camp last summer, and Shipley picked up the Tigers’ first running back offer for the class.

The second and only other offer, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson four-star Phil Mafah, committed late in the summer.

But Swinney signed off on Elliott continuing to chase Shipley, and the Tigers gained traction from there.

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Notre Dame’s running backs coach oversaw McCaffrey at Stanford, and the Fighting Irish isolated him as their primary target long ago.

N.C. State also presented an obstacle, as Shipley’s parents and many other family members are Wolfpack alums.

Stanford, North Carolina, Duke and Georgia were among others who attracted Shipley’s attention.

But Clemson’s culture under Swinney held the utmost appeal, and his relationship with Elliott as well as proximity also counted as significant factors in his decision.

Shipley becomes the Tigers’ 10th commitment for the recruiting class – all of which are rated as four-stars or higher by Rivals.com. All 10 of the Tigers' commitments are from out-of-state.

He attended a pair of Clemson games last fall, which we cited as evidence toward the Tigers’ considerable presence in his recruitment.

But we brought to light that the Tigers picked up considerable momentum with his visit to the elite junior day in January.

Shipley was to take an official visit to Notre Dame in March, then return to Clemson before rendering a decision.

The Fighting Irish aggressively courted Shipley the last month and closed the gap a bit with its push.

Clemson, though, was able to fend off the challenge – securing its first commitment in two months.

As a junior, Shipley rushed for 2,066 yards and 30 touchdowns on 188 carries (11.0 average). He also posted 34 catches for 582 yards and eight scores.

Stay tuned to Tigerillustrated.com for more on Shipley's commitment.

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