Peach State Tight End Adds Clemson to Stacked Offer List

Milton (Ga.) High School tight end Grant Haviland‍, one of the most coveted players in the 2027 recruiting cycle, made his first-ever visit to Clemson earlier this month. 

Haviland, ranked the No. 1 tight end in the nation by ESPN and a consensus top-20 tight end overall, traveled to the Upstate to compete at Dabo Swinney’s Camp, connect with the coaching staff, and get a closer look at the program.

“I have past teammates that have been there and committed there,” Haviland told ClemsonSportsTalk.com. “I've heard great things about the culture there, the program, the coaches, and obviously they have a long history of success. So, I thought it would be a great idea for me to check it out.”

Haviland’s former Milton teammate, four-star offensive lineman Brayden Jacobs, enrolled at Clemson in January and redshirt sophomore safety Rob Billings is also a Milton alum. 

After a strong performance in front of the coaching staff, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Eagles rising junior received a scholarship offer on Monday. He now has over 30 offers including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Texas. 

“I was definitely excited when I got it,” Haviland said about the offer. “I was super happy that I went and earned the offer after camping there. They saw me play in person and were happy with my performance, and it led them to give me the offer.”

During his visit, Haviland had the chance to further his relationship with Tigers', tight ends coach, Kyle Richardson.

“Coach Richardson had been recruiting me a little bit,” he explained. “I wanted to see how he coached and build that relationship by camping there. We grabbed food. We toured the facility, saw the stadium, and had a meeting. That’s when we talked a little football in there.”

Clemson’s use of the tight end under offensive coordinator Garrett Riley also stood out to Haviland. He paid particular attention to former Tiger Jake Briningstool, now with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent signing. Briningstool left Clemson as the program’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end (127).

“I noticed they definitely like to throw the ball to the tight end,” Haviland said. “Jake Briningstool from last year had a really successful time at Clemson. I’ve watched a lot of his tape, and I definitely like the way he plays.”

While many top prospects are closely watching college football’s transfer portal trends, Haviland isn’t overly concerned with the impact veteran players could have on his future playing time.

“I wouldn’t say that’s a huge factor in my decision,” he said. “I have confidence in myself to be able to compete with whoever’s in the room and learn from the older players.”

Instead, his recruitment will come down to the total package.

“Some deciding factors for me are I want a school with a great culture, a long tradition of success, and a long tradition of winning,” he noted. “When it comes to coaches, I want a coach who will coach me hard, criticize me, critique my game, and ultimately develop me as a player and a person. I also look for a school with a history of getting players in the NFL and that uses their tight ends in many different ways.”

Haviland will continue his recruiting tour this week with visits to LSU and Florida. As for a commitment?

“I don’t have a timeline,” he said. “I’m sure in the next few months I’ll start to break it down though.”

Clemson has made a strong impression—and they’ll likely be a major factor in the months to come.