The Clemson football program has picked up its third commitment in the last seven days.

Winston-Salem (N.C.) Prep four-star defensive end Zaire Patterson announced his verbal pledge to the Tigers on Tuesday, following the commitments from Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett linebacker Barrett Carter and Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee quarterback Bubba Chandler last Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Patterson (6-6, 225) chose Clemson over South Carolina, North Carolina and numerous other major programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas A&M. He is ranked as a top-100 national recruit by 247Sports, which considers him the No. 8 weak-side defensive end and No. 99 overall prospect in the 2021 class.

Clemson extended an offer to Patterson in January after playing host to him as an unofficial visitor for the Wake Forest game in November.

It looked as though the Tigers didn’t have room for Patterson after they landed commitments from Lakeland (Fla.) Christian School four-star defensive end Cade Denhoff and Corona (Calif.) Centennial five-star defensive end Korey Foreman during the weekend of their elite junior day in late January – Clemson has planned to take only two ends in the 2021 class – but a spot became available once Foreman decommitted in late April.

The Tigers subsequently made a strong push for Patterson, recruiting him as a priority, and the rest is history.

As a junior last season, Patterson amassed a whopping 129 total tackles, including 27 for loss and nine sacks, while posting 27 quarterback hurries, nine caused fumbles, 10 pass deflections and three interceptions.

Patterson becomes the second defensive end commit in Clemson’s 2021 class, joining Denhoff, and the 13th overall commit in the class.

Clemson’s 2021 class is ranked No. 3 nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

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