On Thursday, Clemson dispensed a new offer to Wake Forest (N.C.) 2019 defensive tackle Jaden McKenzie.

Defensive tackles coach Todd Bates has been in contact with McKenzie for a while.

“Coach Bates called me to offer me,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie (6-3, 280) hails from the same high school as Clemson rising junior defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The two were teammates on Wake Forest’s varsity team in 2015 when McKenzie was a freshman and Lawrence was a senior.

Clemson became the 19th offer for McKenzie, who was offered by Ohio State on Tuesday. Along with the Tigers and Buckeyes, he carries offers from North Carolina,Wake Forest, Duke, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among others.

“An offer from Clemson exemplifies my hard work,” McKenzie said, “and only makes me work that much harder to play at the next level.”

McKenzie made a visit to Clemson last November for The Citadel game in Death Valley.

“It was amazing,” he told TCI earlier this year. “Everything about that place is great.”

What stands out the most to him about Clemson?

“The game-day atmosphere for sure,” he said. “And the program is just amazing.”

McKenzie is rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and ranked as the No. 42 defensive tackle in the class of 2019.

He shined as a junior last season, helping lead Wake Forest to its second straight state championship with 97 tackles, including 23 for loss and nine sacks. He also logged 11 quarterback hurries and a pair of pass deflections.

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