A versatile defender from Alabama is set for his first-ever trip to Tiger Town this weekend.
Fast-rising four-star Joseph Phillips will be on campus for Clemson’s junior day this Saturday. The Booker T. Washington (Tuskegee, Ala.) standout told The Clemson Insider he is “really excited” about the visit.
“It’s going to be my first trip down there,” he said. “First time in Carolina, period.”
Phillips, a top-250 national prospect in the 2024 class, is being recruited by various schools as a linebacker and/or defensive end.
Clemson is looking at the 6-foot-3, 230-pound rising senior as a linebacker.
“I’d say the bigger schools are recruiting me for inside ‘backer. But a lot of them, they’re saying they want me to play both, though,” Phillips said. “So like first and second down, you might be in the middle. Third and fourth, you might be rushing off the edge.”
Booker T. Washington (Tuskegee, Ala.) 4-star Joseph Phillips Photo courtesy of Joseph Phillips on Twitter (@D1joe22)
Phillips has seen his recruitment take off since the end of his junior season, and that’s around the time he began communicating with Clemson. He has primarily been in contact with defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Wes Goodwin.
“I started talking to Clemson at the end of my football season,” he said. “So, it’s probably been like four or five months right now.”
Auburn gave Phillips his first offer last November. He is now approaching 20 total offers, having since pulled in offers from Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia Tech and others.
An offer from Clemson, according to Phillips, would put the Tigers under heavy consideration if he collects it moving forward.
“It’s going to be big because they’re going to be considered as one of the top schools I’m looking at for sure,” he said.
Phillips visited Auburn and Georgia recently. He went to Florida on Thursday and was slated to be at Florida State today before traveling to Tiger Town tomorrow.
What does Phillips want to see when he checks out Clemson for the first time?
“Some things I would want to see is just like the type of environment they have, how their players mix with their coaches, just things like that,” he said.
Phillips is ranked as high as the No. 214 overall prospect in the 2024 class by Rivals, while he is the No. 230 overall prospect in his class per the 247Sports Composite.
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