One of the top sophomore quarterbacks in the country made his way back to Clemson this week in Bogart (Ga.) Prince Avenue Christian School’s Brock Vandagriff.
The class of 2021 signal-caller that already owns over a dozen scholarship offers traveled to take in the Tigers’ spring practice on Monday.
“It was great,” Vandagriff said of the visit. “It was an all-day type of thing. We got there at around 10 and stayed until around 5 or 6, so it was really enjoyable.”
Vandagriff (6-3, 190) threw at the Dabo Swinney Camp last summer and returned to campus for the Louisville game at Death Valley in November. But Monday’s visit marked his first in-depth look at the school and program.
“It was my first real visit I would say,” Vandagriff said. “Right when we got there, they took me around the campus and showed me the dorms. I got to talk to Trevor Lawrence a little bit, which was really cool. I sat in the meetings, talked to Dabo and then we watched practice. So, that was great.”
As Vandagriff alluded to, one of the highlights of his visit was interacting with Lawrence and watching Clemson’s star quarterback sling it during the practice.
“He was great. Great dude. He threw the ball well,” Vandagriff said. “He’s definitely one to learn from. I wouldn’t say I model my game after him, but he’s one that I look up to at the next level for sure.”
As a sophomore last season, Vandagriff passed for 3,190 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for over 1,000 yards and 23 more scores.
Vandagriff’s outstanding performance didn’t go unnoticed by Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter.
“Coach Streeter was telling me that he’s liking my game so far,” Vandagriff said. “He likes what I did last year on film. They liked when I came and threw for them, and he said to just keep up the good work. He’s saying that hopefully we’ll be able to get something together this summer. I’ll probably go throw there again this summer.”
Vandagriff spent around an hour chatting with Swinney while on campus.
“He’s a great dude,” Vandagriff said. “Real strong Christian. With me coming from a Christian school, it would be a great transfer. He seems like a great father figure, how he cares for all of his dudes. He really wants the best for everyone, and he’s going to hold you accountable. So, that would make me into a better person.”
Vandagriff at the Dabo Swinney Camp in June 2018
Vandagriff’s impressive list of early offers includes Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, NC State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee among others.
The Tigers are taking their typical patient approach with the recruiting process and have not yet offered a quarterback in the 2021 class, but let Vandagriff know that an offer is likely coming.
“They say I’m one of their top 2021s, so that means a lot,” Vandagriff said. “They said it’s not built in stone, but that they could see that happening this summer. I’m not sure, but it’s probable that I’ll get offered this summer. I respect their whole way of doing things because they’re having success with it. So, whatever works.”
Vandagriff is planning to make a few more visits before his high school team begins spring practice. He stopped by South Carolina on Tuesday and intends to visit Auburn, Tennessee and Florida.
If everything goes according to plan, Vanagriff would like to commit around this time is year but said he could wait longer to make his decision if he needs additional time.
Should the Tigers pull the trigger on an offer, the opportunity to potentially follow in the footsteps of Lawrence and Deshaun Watson would give the Peach State gunslinger a lot to think about.
“They have a great history with Georgia quarterbacks, with Deshaun and Trevor,” Vandagriff said. “So, maybe following in their footsteps would be great.”
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