Clemson surging in four-star defender's recruitment after successful visit weekend
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"We want you to team up with your former teammate, Victor Burley."
That was the message from the Clemson coaching staff to Isaiah Gibson, a consensus four-star Edge who visited Death Valley for the win against No. 12 Notre Dame on Saturday. Gibson plays at Warner Robins High School in Georgia and played next to Burley on the defensive line last fall, who is now a five-star Clemson freshman.
Gibson is a 6'5, 260-pound prospect and the consensus No. 204 recruit in the nation, No. 17 Edge, and No. 25 recruit in Georgia. Clemson offered him during the visit to the Notre Dame game.
It's safe to say that the offer meant a lot to the four-star.
The four-star's primary recruiter is defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall. On the visit, the Clemson coaches told Gibson that his size and length stood out.
Gibson speaks highly of Clemson's head coach.
"He (Dabo Swinney) keeps it real with you no matter what. What you see inside is what you see outside."
Clemson already has the No. 9 class in the industry consensus rankings, with four four-star offensive commits. They have yet to earn a commitment from a defensive player. If the Tigers keep trending in the right direction in Gibson's recruitment, he may be the first.
Gibson's visit Saturday was his first to a Clemson game.
"The atmosphere was amazing," Gibson said. "Everything was where it needed to be!" He described the postgame locker room celebration as "lit and amazing vibes."
After the visit, On3 recruiting reporter Jeremy Johnson submitted a prediction that Gibson would commit to Clemson, and the site's recruiting prediction machine says there is an 88.9% chance he will become a Tiger. South Carolina is in second place with a 2.7% chance of landing him.
The Tigers have made a good impression on the four-star and will be a significant factor throughout his recruitment.
When he thinks of Clemson, Gibson says the first things that come to mind are "tradition, championships, and home."