The Clemson football coaching staff is nearly complete, and that has allowed head coach Dabo Swinney and his team to intensify their recruiting efforts. It looks like those efforts are paying off, as the Tigers are currently favored to land one of the top high school offensive tackles in the class of 2026.
Today, three 247Sports experts made “crystal ball” predictions, forecasting that Clemson will secure a commitment from Maxwell Riley, a 4-star offensive tackle from Avon Lake, Ohio. This would be a huge victory, especially since Riley is also being heavily pursued by Ohio State, his in-state program.
Riley stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 280 pounds. According to 247Sports’ composite rankings, he is the No. 110 overall player and the No. 9 offensive tackle in the class of 2026.
Riley’s offer list is impressive, featuring top programs like Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and more.
He received an offer from Clemson in June of last year and visited the school unofficially in November. Riley has also made unofficial visits to Alabama, Florida State, and Penn State.
Clemson’s class of 2026 is shaping up well under Swinney’s leadership, with six players already committed, including 3-star offensive lineman Braden Wilmes from Lawrence, Kansas.
Currently, the Tigers’ 2026 class ranks No. 19 nationally and No. 3 in the ACC, behind Florida State and Syracuse. Of course, these rankings will shift significantly as players begin to sign with schools in December.
As usual, Clemson is focusing heavily on the high school ranks to strengthen its offensive line depth. In the 2025 class, the program signed four high school offensive linemen, including 4-star recruits Brayden Jacobs and Easton Ware.
Now, Clemson is aiming to maintain a strong pipeline at that position, and it seems they’re on the brink of adding one of the top prospects in the country.
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