Top 200 national recruit no longer committed to Clemson football
Clemson football is losing a four-star prospect from its eighth-ranked 2023 class, multiple media outlets reported Thursday morning.
And there’s a twist.
Four-star Eagle’s Christian Landing (Ga.) High School offensive tackle Zechariah Owens has decommitted from the Tigers while emphasizing he has “nothing against Clemson at all,” according to reports from TigerIllustrated and Clemson247.
Owens will also visit Florida State this weekend as a Seminoles target, he confirmed to 247Sports. The Seminoles (4-2, 2-2 ACC) host none other than No. 4 Clemson (6-0, 4-0 ACC) on Saturday night in Tallahassee.
Owens, the No. 18 offensive tackle and No. 191 overall recruit in the class of 2023 per 247Sports, had been verbally committed to Clemson for just over three months.
A 6-foot-5.5, 365-pound tackle who earned the nickname “Pancake” for his blocking ability, Owens verbally committed to Clemson over fellow finalists Alabama and Penn State on July 4. His primary recruiter was first-year Tigers offensive line coach Thomas Austin.
Before his decommitment, Owens had ranked as the seventh-highest recruit in Clemson’s 2023 class. With Owens out of the picture, Clemson now has 19 recruits – and 16 who rank as four-star or five-star recruits – in the class ahead of December’s early signing day and will likely seek out another 2023 offensive tackle.
In a statement provided to On3 Sports on Thursday, Owens – who’d also been pursued by South Carolina, FSU and UCF before his initial Clemson commitment – said he re-opened his recruitment “for my family’s sake.”
“I have nothing against Clemson at all,” Owens said. “I just want to be near and close to my family (wherever) they go and stick beside them. I chose Clemson at first because of the family atmosphere. I’ve had to put my own before that. I’m sorry if I let any fans or supporters down. Thank you for being beside me and I hope you all support my decision.”
Owens told On3 Sports he doesn’t have a new front-runner yet.
247Sports reported that Owens had remained in touch with Florida State offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins after committing to Clemson. Under coach Dabo Swinney, Clemson has a long-standing policy that committed recruits can’t take visits to other programs.
If FSU can successfully recruit Owens, it would be the second time the Seminoles have beaten out the Tigers for a 2023 recruit. Top 100 Alabama defensive lineman Keldric Faulk chose Florida State over Clemson and two other finalists in July.
Owens is Clemson’s third decommit in the 2023 cycle. Three-star Texas tight end Reid Mikeska decommitted in May, and four-star Florida wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph decommitted in June, writing on Twitter that “some things took place that me and my family didn’t like.”
Mikeska and Joseph have both since committed to Miami.
Next Clemson game
Who: No. 4 Clemson (6-0, 4-0 ACC) at Florida State (4-2, 2-2 ACC)
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee
TV: ABC
Line: Clemson by 3.5
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 9:39 AM.
