It’s still early in the recruiting process for Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Riverdale four-star defender Caleb Herring, a rising junior who has two years of high school ahead of him and plenty of time to make his college decision.

But right now, three schools are standing out to the top-100 national prospect because of how much interest they are showing in him and how hard they are pursuing him.

“Clemson, Michigan and Tennessee have really been the schools trying to get me,” he told The Clemson Insider. “I’m probably going to commit around my junior or senior season.”

Herring (6-5, 220), who is listed as an outside linebacker by the major recruiting services, classifies himself as a hybrid linebacker/safety. He is closing in on double-digit scholarship offers and is ranked as the No. 97 overall prospect in the country for the class of 2023 by 247Sports.

“I’m a leader, physical, great with hands, quick, versatile, and I get the job done,” Herring said, describing himself as a player.

Clemson defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall is Herring’s lead recruiter for the Tigers, and Herring believes they are recruiting him primarily to play on the D-line as a projected edge rusher.

“He’s been showing interest in me,” Herring said. “He told me that he loves my tape and wants to get on a Zoom call with me and the family, and he wants me to visit, or try to visit after all the COVID and stuff is gone.”

The interest between Clemson and Herring is certainly mutual, and he can envision himself suiting up for the Tigers in the future.

“My interest in Clemson is high,” he said. “If they were to offer me now, it would be big. I could possibly see myself playing in their uniform.

“Things I like about the program are that it seems like every player has an amazing relationship with their coaches because I watch the Clemson Vlogs ands stuff, and it seems like the players and coaches are like family, and everybody’s having fun. Having a great relationship with the coaches is what I’m looking at most in a school.”

Clemson hasn’t yet turned the page to offering prospects in the 2023 class, but if the program pulls the trigger on an offer to Herring moving forward, it would have a major impact on his recruitment.

“Clemson is a target for me as well despite them not offering me yet,” he said. “They’re one of my top schools. I like what the program has to bring to the table.”

As a sophomore last season, Herring was credited with 55 total tackles, including 14 for loss and 2.5 sacks, to go with an interception and a couple of pass breakups in 12 games.

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