Midlands standout, state champion to walk on with Clemson football program
Banks Pope had a change of heart on his college choice.
The A.C. Flora tight end announced Monday night that he decommitted from Appalachian State and will walk on at Clemson. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Pope committed to the Mountaineers in June and also had offers from Coastal Carolina, Charlotte, Furman, Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Liberty, among others.
Pope said he got the call Monday from Clemson assistant coach Brandon Streeter to let him know they had a preferred walk-on spot for him.
“Growing up, I have been a Clemson fan, and it has been dream of mine since I was a little kid to go and play football at Clemson,” Pope said. “It is a dream come true. It was the only place that could flip my mind from Appalachian State. Clemson called me. I just couldn’t turn that down.”
A preferred walk-on offer means the school wants you on team but offer any scholarship money at least for the first year. It is very common for preferred walk-ons to earn scholarships at some point in their careers.
Pope said he grew up going to games at Clemson. His parents and his two brothers went to school there. He played tight end and defensive end for AC Flora but is recruited as a tight end for the Tigers.
247Sports Composite ranks Pope, who also plays lacrosse, as a three-star and the 31st prospect in South Carolina.
Pope was a key contributor in helping A.C. Flora to its first state championship earlier this month. He also was used heavily as a blocker in A.C. Flora’s running game.
This season, Pope had 11 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown on offense and 13 tackles on defense. In the Class 4A title game, he had two catches for 20 yards.
“Another dream come true. I never thought it would happen,” Pope said of the state championship. “It still hasn’t set in that we are state champs. It is so awesome in a time that has been different from other years.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 2:53 PM.
