Coveted recruit KJ Henry makes the call for Clemson

Clemson finished off a busy signing day by securing a pledge from five-star defensive end KJ Henry Wednesday afternoon.

Henry chose the Tigers over South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia Tech and Alabama during a ceremony at West Forsyth High School in North Carolina.

His decision was broadcast live on ESPNU.

Henry is rated as the No. 8 overall player in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

He said Tigers coach Dabo Swinney played a big role in his decision to commit to the Tigers.

“It was just the right fit for me. Coach Swinney and his staff have been on point the entire recruiting process,” Henry said. “It’s gotta be someone that I want to play for, and I definitely want to give my all for him.”

Henry’s commitment gives Clemson four of the top nine players in the nation. The Tigers also signed No. 1 overall recruit Trevor Lawrence, No. 3 Xavier Thomas and No. 9 Jackson Carman.

Lawrence and Thomas have been committed to Clemson for months, while Henry and Carman both announced their commitments on Wednesday.

Thomas and Henry are two of the top four defensive ends in the country.

The Tigers also added running back Lyn-J Dixon to their class on Wednesday. Dixon, a Georgia native, is rated as a four-star prospect.

Clemson has 15 players signed for the class of 2018 and will finish out its class in February. The Tigers are nearing capacity but the exact number of spots they have available will not be known until after underclassmen make their decisions on the NFL draft.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Coveted recruit KJ Henry makes the call for Clemson."