A standout in-state quarterback that visited Clemson to take part in the Dabo Swinney Camp last month was Dutch Fork High School (Irmo, S.C.) class of 2023 prospect Aliam Appler.

A rising junior, Appler was unable to camp at Clemson last summer after the camps were cancelled due to COVID-19, but he has participated in the Swinney Camp several times dating back to his middle school days.

Appler (6-4, 195) threw at the camp sessions on June 5 and 6, and as always, he had a blast on campus while slinging the rock around and interacting with Swinney and his staff.

“I always love going to Clemson,” Appler told The Clemson Insider. “Their facilities are amazing, and then I love seeing the coaches. It’s been two years, so it was good to finally get up and talk with them again, especially Swinney because he’s such a down-to-earth guy. He can just talk to you, and you won’t even feel like he’s this big-time, two-time national champ coach because he seems so humble. But yeah, it was really nice to come back out and throw and get to see everything again.”

Appler also enjoyed working out at the Swinney Camp with other talented signal-callers, especially top prospects such as New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman 2023 five-star Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning.

“It was cool to meet him in person,” Appler said of Arch. “He’s a very humble guy. He’s really cool. You’d think for this five-star, nephew of two great QBs in the NFL, that he’d maybe have a little (ego). But he was very cool, very relaxed and I could just talk to him after never even meeting him or seeing him in person. So, that was really cool. And he’s a great QB, too. He’s amazing. It was fun to watch him.”

Although Appler is not ranked by the major recruiting services at this time, Clemson’s staff put him in the ‘A’ group of quarterbacks with guys like Manning, and that gives Appler added confidence in his game and shows him that the coaches think highly of him.

“They put me in a group with four- and five-stars,” Appler said. “Like Arch Manning, they put me in a group with him, and I’m not ranked at the moment. I don’t have any stars or anything, so I think that was pretty cool to be with some of those top guys. I think it definitely gives me a little confidence and tells me that they’re at least looking at me. So, I’ll take it.”

Appler, who received his first offer from Bowling Green on June 27, would be ecstatic if he were to earn an offer from the Tigers in the future.

“Getting an offer from Clemson would be insane,” he said. “I know I’m still young, so I know I’ve still got a little bit of time.”

Clemson’s facilities are one of the aspects of the school and football program that appeals to him the most.

“Their facilities are amazing,” he said. “It’s definitely top in the nation.”

Appler also camped at South Carolina, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Appalachian State, Charlotte and Toledo in June.

Before transferring to Dutch Fork High School ahead of his upcoming junior season, Appler previously attended New Hanover High in Wilmington, N.C.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!