An in-state wide receiver target traveled to Tiger Town last weekend for what turned out to be an eye-opening visit.

Aiken (S.C.) High School’s Braylon Staley came away very impressed after returning to Clemson for the program’s elite junior day last Saturday.

“I really, really enjoyed this visit,” he told The Clemson Insider.

The speedy, athletic 6-foot, 185-pounder in the 2024 class was accompanied by his parents, brother and sister, and girlfriend.

“They absolutely loved the visit,” he said, “and can’t wait to get back.”

Staley, who received an offer from the Tigers on Jan. 11, had previously visited Clemson for the South Carolina game in late November.

One part of the latest visit that really stood out to him was hearing head coach Dabo Swinney deliver a lengthy speech to the elite junior day visitors.

“My favorite highlight of the visit was when Coach Swinney stood up in front of all of us and explained what Clemson really was,” Staley said. “Most coaches don’t do that. He talked to us for about an hour and a half, and he told us Clemson was not just about football, it’s about life AFTER. ‘NFL stands for Not For Long, what are your plans after? You’ll become a whole different man coming from this program.’”

There was a common theme in what Staley heard from the coaching staff while on campus, and it’s something he’s buying into.

“‘Clemson is different.’ I heard that a lot and I believe it,” he said. “They gave me some of the best vibes honestly. I just can’t wait to see what God has in store for me.”

Staley’s recruitment has skyrocketed since he picked up his first offer from Boston College in late October, and he now boasts two dozen total offers. Along with Clemson, his offer list includes schools such as Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.

TCI asked Staley if he has a timeline for when he’ll make his commitment decision, and if the elite junior day visit changed anything about where the Tigers stand with him right now.

“As of right now, I don’t have any set dates for a commitment,” he said. “Clemson definitely has opened my eyes more about them.”

Staley also went to Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Wake Forest in January.

The son of former Clemson signee and Mississippi State defensive back Brian Staley, Braylon posted 900 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a junior this past season.

–Photo courtesy of Braylon Staley on Twitter (@BrayStaley)

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