Summerville (S.C.) Cane Bay athlete R.J. Roderick is one of the Palmetto State’s hottest prospects, having received offers from Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State and Wake Forest among others this month following an offer from South Carolina in April.

Clemson is among other schools expressing interest, and Roderick has been in regular contact with running backs coach Tony Elliott.

“I still talk to coach Elliott just about every day,” Roderick told TCI. “He sends me the photo edits and keeps in touch, so just kind of going from there still.”

Roderick (6-0, 205) played quarterback and safety as a junior last season, when he rushed for 1,778 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Clemson views him as a running back at the next level, and he is one of a handful of backs Elliott is evaluating for a potential offer.

“He said my size is intriguing in itself, but he said I’m lighter on my feet than he thought I would be,” Roderick said in regards to Elliott. “Coming out of cuts, making moves and just speed wise, he said I did better than he expected I would or what he thought I would be.”

Clemson showed its first sign of interest in Roderick when Elliott visited his school during the spring evaluation period. Elliott later made a second stop by his school to watch Roderick practice, and then spoke with him in-depth over the phone that night.

The conversation helped establish a connection between Roderick and Elliott.

“I relate to him more with him being from the Lowcountry,” Roderick said. “He knows how it is around here, and when I spoke with him on the phone for about 45 minutes that night, nothing was about football. It was all about academics and what you get out of life when you attend a college.

“I was intrigued by it wasn’t just him recruiting me, it was him letting me know this is your life. It’s more important than just playing ball.”

Roderick plans to visit Clemson this summer, potentially to compete at the Dabo Swinney Camp next month.

“I’ll come there and do a workout with them,” he said, “and just kind of hang out, tour around campus and get a feel for the coaching staff.”

Roderick said the Tigers would be well-positioned should they pull the trigger on an offer moving forward.

“They would definitely be top three,” he said.