Pair of big recruiting targets set for Clemson junior day

Mauldin corner Andru Phillips will visit Clemson Saturday for the Tigers’ junior day. The Tigers have not yet offered but there is high interest. Since Sunday, Phillips has picked up three more big-time offers: N.C. State, Tennessee and Louisville. He was at N.C. State Sunday.

Phillips said he’s looking forward to the Clemson visit and he has a particular item in the program he wants to check out.

“Just their culture, how they’re building national championship teams and what they’re doing,” Phillips said. “I’m real real interested in like how they are doing it every single year. I’m just real interested in getting there and seeing how they do that and where I stand with them.”

Phillips said Clemson’s secondary coaches Mike Reed and Mickey Conn have been in contact with him and the conversations have been positive.

“”They like me a lot, I know that for sure,” he said. “They like me at corner and nickel. That’s what most schools are recruiting me as, corner or nickel. “They are real interested in me. They like my hips and my feet and the way I come down hill and tackle, and they like how aggressive I am.”

Phillips also has visited North Carolina and Wake Forest and he has set an official visit with Kentucky for April 5. He said he is not hearing from USC.

Receiver set for fifth Clemson visit

Phenix City, Ala., wide receiver E.J. Williams will return to Clemson Saturday for the Tigers’ next junior day. This will mark his fifth recruiting visit with the Tigers dating back to last September. And for good reason. The Clemson staff sees him as another receiver prospect who can add to the legacy of talented receivers ahead of him.

“I talk to coach Scott and coach Bates, they text me about every day,” Williams said. “They really just say that I’m a great wide receiver and they feel like I can make an impact. I feel like myself I can make an impact as a freshman if I keep working hard as I do already and keep a straight head.”

Clemson, of course, pulled wide receiver Justyn Ross from Phenix City and out of the grasp of Auburn and Alabama. Williams recently visited the two in-state schools and they are not to be discounted in his recruitment.

“They are both coming after me pretty hard,” Williams said. “I like both of the schools a lot. They are both great programs.”

Williams said he actually grew up a Georgia fan and he has visited there. He’s also been to Florida and LSU and was at Florida State’s spring game last year.

Williams said he will visit Tennessee Wednesday, Clemson on Saturday and Florida State on March 16. And he plans to return to Clemson for the spring game.

He does not have favorites at this point and is looking at a December decision.

Notes:

▪ Mobile, Ala., offensive lineman Brady Ward (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) visited Clemson on Sunday. He also visited Clemson last season. Ward also visited Alabama last weekend and was offered. He also has offers from Arkansas, LSU, Oklahoma, Florida and others.

▪ Linebacker De’Rickey Wright of Attallah, Ala., picked up offers from Kentucky and Texas A&M. He also has a USC offer and plans to visit Clemson Saturday.

▪ Clemson target Deivon Smith, a 5-foot-11 point guard from Loganville, Ga., was offered by Louisville on an unofficial visit Saturday.