Clemson’s elite junior day event this weekend has already yielded a few verbal commitments from top prospects in the 2021 class, including Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood four-star tight end Jake Briningstool.

Briningstool announced his commitment to Dabo Swinney’s program around noon Sunday following Saturday’s junior day.

The Clemson Insider caught up with Briningstool about his decision to choose Clemson over offers from Alabama, Ohio State, LSU and Florida among many other schools.

“Coach Swinney has built something special,” he said. “He was telling us yesterday that Clemson football is going to have the best decade in CFB history, and I want to be a part of it.”

Briningstool (6-6, 215) has known since last month that he wanted to be a Tiger and informed Swinney of his commitment Sunday morning.

“I knew I wanted to come here after we attended a bowl practice in December,” he said. “My family and I went over to coach Swinney’s house this morning and told them, and they were all really excited.”

Briningstool said the bond he built with Swinney and Clemson’s coaching staff was a “very important” part of his decision.

“Dabo always says it’s not the place, it’s the people, and Clemson has special people and I’m happy to be a part of it,” he added.

Saturday’s visit gave Briningstool a chance to get to know the other commits in Clemson’s 2021 class.

“I haven’t been around them much besides yesterday,” he said, “but I’m super excited to start to build friendships that’ll last forever with these guys.”

Briningstool is ranked as high as the No. 53 overall prospect in the 2021 class by ESPN, which considers him the nation’s No. 1 tight end-Y.

How do the Tigers plan to utilize Briningstool as a tight end in their offense?

“The same way they used Jordan Leggett in 2016,” he said.

Not only did Briningstool fall in love with Clemson during the recruiting process, but so did his mother and his father, former Michigan State linebacker Tony Briningstool.

“They love it!” Briningstool said of his parents.

“My dad loves it. He feels like they’ll take great care of me and help better me for life in the future.”

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