Clemson takes aim at recruiting Dax Hollifield’s teammate

Clemson has tried to make a late run at Shelby, N.C., linebacker Dax Hollifield for their 2018 class. The Tigers are hoping to get him in for an unofficial visit before he makes his decision. He’s coming off an official visit to Stanford and has Virginia Tech and North Carolina also high on his list. But there’s a younger linebacker at Shelby that also has Clemson’s interest and he plans to take in the junior day this Saturday.

Jaylon Scott (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) has offers from Clemson, North Carolina, N.C. State, Duke and Maryland. Clemson linebackers coach and defensive coordinator Brent Venables has been in regular contact with him.

“He said they are losing a lot of guys at linebacker and I’ll have a chance to play,” said Scott who also visited Clemson for a bowl practice. “I want to get to know everybody more than I do. I know a couple of guys there, Justin Foster and Tanner Muse. Last time they showed me around campus and told me about the academic part of it.”

Scott has watched the Clemson defense do its work and has been impressed.

“I like how quick their defense is and how fast the linebackers are,” he said. “They play plays in space.”

Scott said Clemson and North Carolina are on him the hardest at this point of his recruiting and he will visit Chapel Hill next weekend. He said the Duke offer was big to him and he also hears a lot from NC State. But though he has no favorite, he said Clemson is in good shape with him at this point. He plans to commit around mid-season and sign and graduate early.

Last season Scott had 85 tackles with five sacks and three forced fumbles.

Notes:

▪  Linebacker Kalen Deloach of Savannah was offered by Clemson. He also has a USC offer. North Carolina also recently offered. He plans to be at Clemson Saturday.

▪  Clemson and USC quarterback Sam Howell (Monroe, N.C.) was offered by Georgia.

This story was originally published January 17, 2018 at 6:56 PM with the headline "Clemson takes aim at recruiting Dax Hollifield’s teammate."