Dabo Swinney might just be the most blessed head coach in college football right now. The man’s been on a straight-up heater, snatching blue-chip recruits left and right like he’s shopping at a clearance sale. But here’s the kicker—he’s not even close to cooling off. If anything, the man’s just getting warmed up. You know it’s wild when Clemson goes from chilling in the mid-30s for their 2026 recruiting class to sitting pretty at No. 3 in the nation in a matter of days. Yep, days, not weeks. And the story just keeps getting juicier.
Clemson’s latest gem? A standout high school baller by the name of Kaden Gebhardt. And believe me, this kid’s got game. Hailing from Olentangy High School in Lewis Center, Ohio, Gebhardt is a 6’2″, 200-pound freak of nature who can do damage on both sides of the field. Safety, wide receiver, you name it. Last season alone, the dude racked up 94 tackles, six of those for loss, and snagged two interceptions. Oh, and let’s not forget he earned First Team All-OCC, OCC Defensive Player of the Year, and First Team All-District. Over his high school career, he’s already got 300 tackles and nine interceptions on his résumé. In other words, certified baller status. Kaden Gebhardt also had a great time over a weekend at Clemson per Chad Simmons.
Now, Gebhardt’s got offers coming from everywhere—Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin. But here’s where it gets spicy: Penn State was actually leading the race for this kid. Their recruiting prediction machine had him locked in. But then DC Tom Allen dipped from Penn State to Clemson, and guess what? The tables turned real quick. Gebhardt himself admitted, “I would say as of right now, Clemson is my top school.” Ain’t gonna lie, that’s like a declaration of war to everyone else trying to snag him. Last Month, Gebhardt told On3’s Steve Wiltfong he’s locked in three official visits for the summer—Clemson on May 30, Ohio State on June 6, and Penn State on June 12.
It’s wild because just last month, Kaden Gebhardt was still weighing his options between Ohio, Clemson, and Tigers. Kaden even told recruiting specialist Chad Simmons, “I was there for the first time two weeks ago and the visit was key. I loved it. At Clemson, I like what they do, the staff is so stable and it was great there. I spent a full day there and I had time with Coach Swinney, Coach Conn, and Coach Allen. Coach Allen offered me at Penn State and we have had a great relationship since. Clemson is a place I could really see myself at.” Dabo Swinney and Clemson hired Tom Allen from Penn State for the DC job back in January, and now, Kaden Gebhardt is in the mix. Talk about 1 bird, 2 stone (hopefully).
Dabo Swinney’s and Clemson Tigers’ 2026 stellar recruiting class
And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, Clemson pulled off another masterstroke. Over the weekend, they secured a commitment from four-star offensive tackle Grant Wise—a beast of a man standing 6’3” and weighing 310 pounds. This Florida native had offers from the likes of Texas A&M, Alabama, LSU, and a dozen other heavyweights. But it was Clemson that got the W. The man’s straight-up committed right in front of Dabo Swinney, who couldn’t hide his hype, pumping his fist like he just won the lottery. Clemson is stacking up talent like a snakehead collecting fresh kicks.
The Tigers’ 2026 class is already looking like pure fire, holding down the No. 3 spot in the rankings with a solid 11 commits. And they ain’t stopping there. They’ve locked down some serious beef up front with big guys like Adam Guthrie (6’7”, 280 lbs) from Ohio and Grant Wise from Florida. On the defensive side, they scooped up Texas native cornerback Marcell Gipson Jr. from Ole Miss, an athlete, who’s known for his lockdown skills with 36 tackles and 10 pass deflections last season. It’s like Swinney’s out here building an army, one monster recruit at a time.
To be frank, this is just the beginning of Dabo’s cooking. With a stacked recruiting class that’s only getting better, Clemson’s setting themselves up to stay a powerhouse for years to come. At this point, the Tigers’ future is looking about as bright as a stadium under Friday night lights. Dabo Swinney ain’t slowing down. If anything, he’s just hitting the gas. And if you thought Dabo Swinney’s prime’s already finished in 2020, then you are very wrong, my friend.
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