Clemson’s 2027 recruiting class keeps climbing, and the latest ESPN update has the Tigers sitting in elite territory at No. 13 nationally.
The biggest reason for the jump is four-star safety Jayden Aparicio-Bailey, who committed to Clemson this week. The Alabama standout is ranked No. 210 overall by ESPN, checks in as the No. 15 safety in the country, and is listed at No. 10 in his home state.
That addition gives Clemson 24 commitments in the 2027 cycle, tying the Tigers for 17th-most pledges among FBS programs. The class is already packed with talent: 11 four-star prospects, which puts Clemson in a tie for ninth nationally, and eight of those players also made ESPN’s SC Next 300.
At the top of the class, quarterback Kharim Hughley and defensive end Desmond Malpress are the headliners. ESPN gave each of them an 82 grade.
Clemson’s place in the recruiting race is holding up across the board. The Tigers are No. 13 in the 247Sports Composite, No. 11 in 247’s own rankings, and No. 15 in the Rivals Composite.
The national picture is still missing a few big names from the five-star pool. Notre Dame, Miami, Oklahoma, Michigan, Auburn, Ole Miss, and LSU all have plenty of four-star help but no five-star commitment yet. Texas A&M, Ohio State, Texas, and Texas Tech have already secured 70 percent of ESPN’s five-star talent, with the Aggies leading the way in the team rankings.
Inside the ACC, only Miami is ranked higher than Clemson. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and California also cracked the national top 25, but the Tigers remain firmly planted near the top of the league.
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