Nick Eason and Lemanski Hall recruiting the best defensive line haul in the country

Nick Eason pictured with one of his commits in 4-star lineman Vic Burley.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Jul 12 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2022

When former defensive tackles coach Todd Bates left Clemson to take a job with Brent Venables at Oklahoma, many wondered how the Tigers would fare on the recruiting trail with one of their best recruiters plying his trade for the Sooners. As it turns out, Clemson’s defensive line recruiting is just as good or even better than ever.

Bates, known for his poetry and sending personal letters to recruits and their families, earned Rivals’ Recruiter of the Year award for his work with Clemson’s 2020 recruiting class. He was largely responsible for landing Bryan Bresee, Demonte Capehart, Payton Page, Tré Williams, and Tyler Davis, all players who should play a critical role in the Clemson defense this season.

But Eason, a relative newcomer to college recruiting, has settled in and is using a pretty simple formula to bring key members of the Tigers’ 2023 recruiting class – he’s being Nick Eason. Eason, who is charming and humorous, also has a serious side and recruits say he’s as genuine as anyone they’ve ever been around. In a world that needs genuine people, Eason is standing out.

Last Friday, Clemson added to the nation’s best defensive line haul with 5-star defensive lineman Peter Woods out of Alabaster (AL) Thompson, taking away one of Nick Saban’s top targets. Woods ranks as the nation’s No. 3 defensive lineman and the No. 23 overall prospect in the country for the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

With the addition of Woods, Clemson’s 2023 class currently checks in at No. 3 nationally in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings behind only Notre Dame and Ohio State, respectively. Those big numbers include a defensive line group that is the talk of the recruiting world.

With the addition of Woods, five of Clemson’s 17 commits for this cycle are defensive linemen. Woods joins 4-star Vic Burley, 4-star AJ Hoffler, 4-star David Ojiegbe, and 4-star Stephiylan Green in the class. Eason and defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall each said during the spring that the line would have to be rebuilt with this class – the Tigers could lose the four top defensive ends and three of the top defensive tackles.

That rebuilding job is coming along just fine, thank you.

Hall, knowing that he could lose Xavier Thomas, Justin Mascoll, KJ Henry and Myles Murphy at the end of this season, told TigerNet during the spring that he was on the recruiting trail looking for guys who can play right away.

“Oh man, it’s critical,” Hall told TigerNet. “We talk about I’m losing dudes, so I have to bring some dudes in. So, I’ve identified some guys that fit our culture and fit my personality, fit the description of what I’m looking for at that position.

“Right now, if you’re a recruit out there, man and you want to play at a big-time place and you want to have an opportunity to play right now, this is the perfect spot, right? Obviously, I’m never gonna tell a kid, ‘You’re gonna start,’ but man, if you come here, we’re losing four guys and I’m needing guys,” Hall said. “I’m looking for some plug-and-play guys. If I’m a recruit, this is the place that I would want to be.”

Hall said he needs players who are ready from day one.

“I am looking for some plug-and-play guys,” he said. “Like right now, day one, that can come in and execute and play at a very high level.”

Thanks to Hall and Eason, Clemson’s defensive line looks to be in good shape for the foreseeable future.