No. 1 2024 inside linebacker commits to Clemson

Blake Baumgartner, ESPN Staff WriterJun 5, 2023, 06:28 PM ET

After completing his official visit, five-star linebacker Sammy Brown, the top-ranked inside linebacker in the 2024 cycle, committed to Clemson on Monday.

Brown, No. 17 overall in the 2024 ESPN 300 and a product of Jefferson High (Georgia), becomes the highest-ranked member of the Tigers’ class, which sits at No. 15 by ESPN.

“It was just connecting with some of the players and some of the other commits and with the coaches,” Brown told ESPN after making the announcement on social media. “I felt like everything just kind of clicked and I have very similar personalities to some of the commits. Drew Woodaz, the other linebacker commit, I just feel like we’re very similar in the way we do stuff. So I just feel like everything kind of fell into place perfectly and that was just kind of a sign to me that it was God’s will to go there.”

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Brown took an official visit to Tennessee during the last week of May and has canceled plans to take official visits to Georgia, Oklahoma and Ohio State later in June.

Brown’s time in Clemson this past weekend made an indelible impression. Dabo Swinney and the Tigers have five other ESPN 300 prospects in its 2024 class — tight end Christian Bentancur (No. 124 overall), cornerback Tavoy Feagin (No. 233 overall), safety Noah Dixon (No. 248 overall), defensive tackle Hevin Brown-Shuler (No. 249 overall) and defensive tackle Champ Thompson (No. 285 overall).

Brown would be the highest-ranked linebacker Clemson has signed since Jeremiah Trotter Jr (No. 7 overall and No. 1 OLB) in 2021 and the sixth ESPN 300 linebacker to sign with the program since 2020 (Trenton Simpson, Sergio Allen, Trotter Jr, Barrett Carter and Jamal Anderson Jr.).

“James Skalski and Baylon Spector — those are two kids that played the linebacker position the right way,” Brown said. “They weren’t super highly ranked. But they came into Clemson and got developed and came out being superstars. So I think Clemson does a great job of developing linebackers and creating very, very refined and skilled linebackers. So they definitely do things the right way.”

Under both longtime former defensive coordinator Brent Venables and current defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin, the Tigers’ defense has developed a reputation for being one of the best in the country. Five times since 2016, they have finished in the top 10 in total defense (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021).

“I really like what they do on defense and I think that if Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter leave next year, I’ll have a good shot to go in and compete for some playing time,” Brown said. “So I think, just like I said, everything kind of fell into place. … They’ve got a good scheme and Coach Goodwin is very aggressive with the linebackers. We get to blitz a lot, so it’ll be a really, really fun scheme to play in.”

Brown would be the fifth five-star prospect to sign with the Tigers since 2020 (defensive tackle Bryan Bresee; 2020, defensive end Myles Murphy; 2020, Trotter Jr; 2021 and defensive tackle Peter Woods; 2023).

Brown plays both ways for Jefferson High School and had a dynamic junior season in 2022 by recording 113 tackles while also compiling 1,705 total yards (1,459 rushing) and 24 touchdowns (21 rushing).

Clemson’s last four recruiting classes finished 11th (2023), 14th (2022), 4th (2021) and 1st (2020).