In-state recruit gets another visit from Clemson coach
By: Gavin Oliver January 28, 2018

Charleston (S.C.) First Baptist Church School’s Michel Dukes has a knack for impressing Clemson assistant Tony Elliott.

Clemson’s co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach serves as Dukes’ area recruiter, and Elliott attended one of his football games in the fall. That night, the standout running back accounted for 150 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Dukes (5-11, 190) also plays basketball, and Elliott was back at First Baptist on Friday night to watch him compete in a game. Clemson basketball head coach Brad Brownell was also on hand to see another recruit.

Dukes put on a show again scoring a team-high 13 points — and sinking a shot from beyond halfcourt with the coaches looking on (see video below).

“It felt good to do that with them watching,” Elliott later told TCI.

Dukes is firmly on Clemson’s radar for running backs in the class of 2019. Elliott also stopped by his school a couple of weeks ago.

Several other schools have paid visits to Dukes during the contact period, as well, such as Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Notre Dame and South Carolina.

Arkansas and Indiana have extended football offers Dukes this month, joining South Carolina, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Wake Forest on his offer sheet.

Though Clemson hasn’t yet pulled the trigger, Elliott has suggested that an offer from the Tigers could be in the cards.

“I’ve been talking with coach Elliott more lately,” Dukes said. “His message to me was to be patient and to stay humble.

“He’s been telling me I’m one of the top prospects and to be patient.”

Dukes also impressed Elliott at the Dabo Swinney Camp last summer. He returned to Clemson for the Auburn game last September.

Clemson is among the schools Dukes wants to visit again this offseason.

“I haven’t looked them up yet, but I’m trying to definitely get to Virginia Tech, Clemson and Carolina,” he said.

As a junior last season, Dukes ran for 2,100 yards and 34 touchdowns. He rushed for 2,241 yards and 40 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2016.