Julian Nixon, one of the country’s top sophomore wide receivers, returned to Clemson last Saturday for his first game-day visit to Death Valley since last fall.

The four-star Class of 2021 prospect from Roswell (Ga.) Centennial witnessed the Tigers’ comeback win over Syracuse.

“I enjoyed it a lot,” Nixon said. “It was a good game.”

Saturday was Nixon’s first time on campus since June when he competed at the Dabo Swinney Camp, and first time attending a game at Death Valley since Clemson’s victory over Boston College in September 2017.

The highlight of Saturday’s visit for Nixon was hearing Swinney’s postgame speech to his team in its locker room after the Tigers rallied from a nine-point deficit at halftime to defeat the Orange, 27-23.

“He just expressed how proud he was of his team,” Nixon said, “and how much he loved them for the effort and the fight they gave.”

Nixon made the visit with his parents and said his mother especially enjoyed her experience at Clemson.

“My mom really enjoyed herself because it was her first college football game,” he said. “She likes it considering it was her first time seeing a real college facility.”

Nixon, who is sidelined for his sophomore season after suffering a torn ACL in August, received encouragement from Clemson’s coaching staff while on campus.

“They said that they are praying for me to heal up and attack rehab hard,” Nixon said.

The good news for Nixon is that he is ahead of schedule in the rehab process.

“I’m two weeks ahead of where I’m supposed to be,” he said.

Although he has played only one full season of high school football to date, the ultra-talented Nixon has already accumulated a long list of offers from Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Louisville.

Clemson has yet to offer a receiver in the 2021 class, but Nixon is a prime candidate to eventually receive an offer from the Tigers — an offer that is on his wish list.

“I would love to have an offer from Clemson,” he said.

As a freshman last season, Nixon tallied 51 receptions, more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns in Georgia’s 6A classification.

247Sports ranks Nixon as the No. 1 prospect in the Peach State, No. 2 wide receiver nationally and No. 9 overall prospect in the country for the 2021 class.