Clemson’s short-lived 2027 linebacker haul took another turn Monday, when RJ “Bounce” Hudson announced he is heading to Texas.
Hudson, a Varina (Va.) linebacker/edge rusher and a consensus three-star prospect, was previously committed to Clemson before backing off that pledge earlier this month. His move to the Longhorns came just two days after an official visit to Austin for Texas’ game against Ole Miss, a trip that clearly left an impression after the Longhorns’ 34-27 win.
The 6-foot-3 hybrid defender had been on Clemson’s radar for a while. He first landed an offer from the Tigers after attending Dabo Swinney Football Camp, and Clemson lined up an official visit for the next weekend. One week after that trip to Tigertown, Hudson committed to the Tigers over Maryland, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Syracuse.
His recruiting stock has kept climbing during a strong senior season. According to the 247Sports Composite, Hudson ranks as high as the No. 488 overall player, the No. 44 player at his position and the No. 14 recruit in Virginia.
Hudson’s junior year at Varina backed up the buzz. Across 15 games for the Blue Devils, he posted 45 tackles, eight for a loss, 13 sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one interception.
The flip also fits a familiar Clemson recruiting pattern. Swinney has a standing policy against commits taking visits elsewhere, and those trips often force a decision. The most recent example before Hudson was four-star edge rusher Dre Quinn, who was committed to Clemson for three months before visiting Tennessee, triggering a decommitment that eventually led him to sign with Ohio State.
Hudson’s exit came after Clemson had already used him as a backup plan at linebacker. The Tigers missed on four-star Kentucky commit Sean Fox and four-star Notre Dame commit Roman Igwebuike before turning to Hudson.
Now Clemson is down to two linebackers in its 2027 class: four-star Bryce Kish of Howell, Michigan, and three-star Max Brown of Jefferson, Georgia. The Tigers likely won’t add another linebacker before National Signing Day, though the staff could still search for an overlooked senior riser if the need becomes pressing.
Hudson summed up his commitment to Texas by saying, “They not for the weak or timid, they chose right.”
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