After receiving an offer from Clemson during a visit in March, Woodbridge (Va.) five-star linebacker Antoine Sampah returned to campus two weeks ago.
Sampah, one of the country’s top-ranked 2020 prospects, visited Clemson and worked out for Brent Venables at the Dabo Swinney Camp on June 13.
The Clemson Insider recently caught up with Sampah about his experience.
“It was really different,” he said. “The coaches were real nice. Coach Venables, he was real cool with me. He’s always really real with me. I like that about him. He always tells it how it is.”
Sampah (6-2, 210) cited being around Venables as the visit highlight.
“I’d have to say just spending time with the coach and learning how he coaches and the different types of techniques he wants us to use,” Sampah said. “I feel like that will be really useful to me.
“He gave me a lot of advice about playing the game, and he taught me a lot of stuff about being an inside linebacker and what I need to know to do my assignment, like fill gaps and get off of blocks. He was just excited for me to be there.”
Sampah, the No. 1-ranked inside linebacker in the 2020 class, owns over 20 offers as a rising junior.
Clemson has made a strong impression on Sampah and positioned itself well early in his recruitment.
“Clemson is one of my top schools, and I really like it there,” he said. “It’s a nice family.”
Sampah named Florida, LSU, Florida State and Alabama as some other schools high on his list right now.
He has a tentative time frame for his commitment, and said he will weigh a few factors heavily as he works toward his college decision.
“I’d like to potentially make it at the beginning of my senior year or end of junior year, around that time frame,” he said. “Just the environment, the people and my surroundings [will be important.] Like what the normal life would be for me going on campus and being a student-athlete there. And the coaches of course.”
When Sampah considers Clemson as an option, he sees it being the complete package.
“Coach Venables has always talked about how not only they’re so talented in football, they have a good record and a good foundation, but also school-wise and academics after football,” Sampah said. “Because football is not going to last forever. I know after football, I would be straight and I wouldn’t have to worry about when’s my next job and stuff like that. I know I would have a good foundation in my academics.”
Sampah has also recently visited South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
He is ranked by Rivals as the No. 1 inside linebacker and No. 12 overall prospect in the class of 2020.
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