Big-time DL prospect breaks down Clemson visit
By: Gavin Oliver December 17, 2018

Clemson played host to a prominent young defensive lineman for a lengthy unofficial visit this past weekend.

Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley 2021 four-star tackle Payton Page made the trip to Clemson on Saturday. He was on campus for about seven hours.

“I had a really good time,” Page said. “It was just amazing.”

What stood out most to the 6-foot-4, 300-pound sophomore about the visit?

“The slide,” he said, “and the way they accepted me in as family.”

Page, one of the top-rated defensive tackles in the country for his class, was accompanied to Clemson by his father and younger brother.

“They loved it too,” he said.

Did his family go down the slide as well?

“Yes they did and they liked that part too,” Page said.

Page was able to spend plenty of time with Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, defensive tackles coach Todd Bates and other members of the staff during the visit.

“They treated me like they cared,” Page said of the coaches. “Basically they said, they want to get to know me before they offer me and I was just fine with that.”

What does Bates like about Page’s game?

“He said I’m big but I can move,” Page said.

Page already has early offers from Duke, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech, among others, with two seasons of high school football still ahead of him.

He is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 3 defensive tackle and No. 19 overall prospect in the 2021 recruiting class.