MONROE, La. – Clemson recently got in touch with a fast-rising recruit from the Bayou State to gauge his interest in the Tigers’ program.
Four-star defensive end J’mond Tapp from Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, has seen his stock soar since the beginning of this year while collecting big-time offers, and now Clemson is involved in his recruitment, with defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall communicating with Tapp to see if the Tigers would have a legitimate shot if they decided to offer and pursue him.
“I had a couple of them follow me, and that’s when I realized I was on their radar,” Tapp said of Clemson’s coaching staff. “I sent Coach Hall my film, and he had hit me back and he was like, he already saw it. And that’s when we got on the phone that day and we had talked it up a little bit, and he wanted to see my interest because he was like I have a lot of offers … He wanted to know if he was too late, but no school is too late. I still want more offers, still want more schools, more opportunities.”
Tapp (6-3, 240) is still in the process of exploring his many college opportunities but can potentially see himself playing for the Tigers if they extend an offer.
“I’ve got to see what’s fit for me, and I feel like Clemson would be fit for me,” he said.
When Tapp thinks about Clemson’s program, a couple of things stick out in his mind.
“How they win,” he said for starters. “I like winning. I like the coaching staff … I know they’re based off relationships. They’re real good with relationships.”
LSU, Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Texas and Southern Cal are among the schools that have thrown their hats in the ring for Tapp this year, following offers from schools such as Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Penn State and Michigan State last year.
Tapp feels LSU is recruiting him the hardest right now, and the SEC’s Tigers will be tough to beat for the recruit who lives less than an hour away from Baton Rouge.
But perhaps the ACC’s Tigers could give the home-state team some competition for Tapp if they pull the trigger on an offer in the future.
“I feel like Clemson, if I get the offer from them, the relationship will be building and building and building,” Tapp said, “and eventually they’re going to be in the top (contenders).”
