ESPN.com · Dec 28, 2015
How No. 1 Clemson was built on the recruiting trail
The Clemson Tigers, under head coach Dabo Swinney, have ascended to the top of the ACC by securing the best local players and luring difference-making prospects from the two most talent-rich states in the Southeast, Florida and Georgia. By limiting their recruiting scope, the Tigers have been able to successfully identify the right scheme and cultural fits which has translated to great success on the field. QB Deshaun Watson, the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, and DT Shaq Lawson, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, are the two best examples of this recruiting philosophy since Watson is a former five-star from Georgia and Lawson is a four-star, South Carolina native.