Bryn Tucker received a scholarship offer from Clemson while on campus for the program’s elite junior day in late January, and he has known since then that he wanted to be a Tiger.
The Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic four-star offensive lineman made things official when he announced his commitment to Clemson on Thursday evening, and he was kind enough to speak with The Clemson Insider about his decision prior to the announcement.
“Since the January elite junior day when I got the offer,” Tucker said when asked when he knew Clemson was the school for him. “They showed me around campus and stuff I haven’t seen, and it’s been stuck with me ever since till this day. Clemson has been on my mind ever since, and it was time to be a part of the program. I did not want to wait any longer.”
Tucker — the No. 6 offensive tackle nationally and No. 29 overall prospect in the 2020 class according to ESPN — chose Clemson over Virginia Tech, LSU and nearly two dozen other offers.
What set the Tigers apart from the other suitors in his recruitment?
“Clemson has everything you need to be a successful person in life,” Tucker said. “Besides football, the education there is awesome. The classrooms are perfect and professors are determined to get you at your highest peak in life. And the football is what I want to be a part of. They train you to your potential to be at the next level. Coach (Robbie) Caldwell and Coach (Dabo) Swinney are coaches I want to be with.”
Tucker (6-5, 305) informed the coaches of his commitment last weekend.
“I told the news to Coach Swinney and Coach Caldwell last Saturday night,” he said. “They accepted my commitment that moment and they were hyped to have me on board with them. It was a memorable moment to share with them.”
The tight bond that Tucker has built with Clemson’s offensive line coach was an important factor in his decision.
“Me and Coach Caldwell have had a great relationship since last year,” Tucker said. “Having a relationship plays a big role. Me and Coach Caldwell usually talked around four times a week, and every conversation was something new we learned about each other.”
Tucker, who hails from the same school as Clemson receiver Amari Rodgers, became the ninth commit in the Tigers’ 2020 recruiting class that now ranks No. 2 nationally according to the 247Sports Composite.
His commitment marks the fifth from an offensive lineman in the class, joining Raleigh (N.C.) Leesville Road’s Mitchell Mayes, Milton (Ga.)’s Paul Tchio, Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass’s Walker Parks and Canton (Ga.) Creekview’s John Williams.
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