Clemson lands commitment from coveted IMG Academy defender
After taking a trip to Georgia a week ago, Jihaad Campbell announced his commitment to Clemson on Sunday.
Campbell had also visited Rutgers and Ohio State recently and went to Clemson on June 8.
The four-star edge player released his decision on Instagram Live, choosing the Tigers over programs like the Bulldogs, Buckeyes, Scarlet Knights, Oklahoma, Alabama and Auburn. Clemson is now up to three defensive commits and jumped into the top 20 national recruiting rankings at No. 18 for the 12th year in a row.
Campbell spent his first three years of high school at Timber Creek in New Jersey. In December, he transferred to IMG Academy in Florida. In his new state of residence, 247Sports has the 6-foot-3, 215-pound defender ranked fifth in the nation among edge players in the Class of 2022 and the 11th-best overall player in the state.
Andrew Ivins, 247Sports Southeast recruiting analyst, complimented Campbell’s quick reflexes and said he’s likely to play linebacker for IMG Academy this fall.
“The staff at IMG Academy believes in his coverage skills, which makes sense given how he moves in space,” Ivins wrote. “Tested off the charts once he transferred into the national powerhouse posting the highest vertical jump out of all the non-skill players. ... Must add some core strength and bulk up if he’s ever going to be asked to anchor in the run game, but long limbs and play speed give him one of the highest ceilings out of any defender in the 2022 cycle.”
This story was originally published June 27, 2021 at 5:26 PM.
