Copyright Charleston Post and Courier
The recruiting market for Greenville defensive end Franklin Whitley is as hot as anyone’s in the 2026 class right now. He made his official visit to USC over the weekend for the Vanderbilt game and wasn’t planning to return until the Alabama game this Saturday. But the recruiting efforts of Shane Beamer, Sterling Lucas and Travian Robertson convinced him to not only visit for that game, but to take his official visit this weekend. “Them being consistent, contacting me every day, really striving for me,” Whitley said about why he moved up his visit. “I appreciated the dedication they’ve had, so I felt like it was only right to come visit them this (past) weekend. I just want to see more of how the program is run. That’s the most important thing to me, how they develop players. I want to speak to players, ask them about the program and how they feel.” The former basketball prospect added another big-time offer last week from Tennessee. That came in right after he wrapped up an official visit to Florida State the previous weekend. “That was a great experience. I really loved it. They treated me and my family well down there. I’ll definitely be back,” Whitley said. “Me and another recruit got to hang out with the players after the game. Despite the loss, Coach (Mike) Norvell went to dinner, and the D-Line coach went to dinner. They kept the conversation going. They had smiles on their faces, so I felt like they were really happy for me to be there.” Whitley also talked last week with Clemson defensive ends coach Chris Rumph and some folks from the recruiting office, and he has set a mid-week official visit with the Tigers for Nov. 19. He will follow that official visit with one to Florida that weekend. He also has an official visit set with Alabama for Nov. 15. The only other game visit Whitley has scheduled for now is the Vanderbilt at Tennessee game on Nov. 29. Whitley also has offers from Georgia, Auburn, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. He said he has not yet pinpointed a favorite. • Newberry TE Jamel Howse (6-4, 210) announced a decommitment from South Carolina on Sunday night. Howse had Hayes Fawcett of On3 break the news of his move. Howse had been committed to the Gamecocks since Oct. 5 of 2024. Some of his other offers at the time of his commitment were Virginia Tech, UCF, Coastal Carolina, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Liberty and USF. Howse, who was selected for the Shrine Bowl team, is also a standout basketball player for the Bulldogs. His defection leaves the Gamecocks with 15 commitments and one tight end. • Dutch Fork DE Julian Walker, who has been committed to Michigan, was at South Carolina over the weekend for his official visit. Walker, whose father is a member of the USC strength staff, has made numerous visits to USC in recent seasons. This season, he has also been to a game at North Carolina. He is planning to visit Michigan for the Ohio State game. Some of the other expected visitors at USC Saturday included: 2027 WR Maleek Miller of Irmo 2027 DE Jaden Wuerth of Dutch Fork 2027 QB Justin Murphy of College Park, GA 2027 Jaiden Kelly-Murray of Summerville 2027 SAF Kennedy Green of Mableton, GA 2027 LB Kareem Palmer of Lyons, GA 2007 LB AJ Randle of Raleigh 2028 OT Kamel Tillman of Rockingham Some of the expected visitors at Clemson on Saturday included: 2027 CB Hayden Stepp of Las Vegas 2027 CB Aamaury Fountain of Warner Robins, Ga. 2027 LB Bubba Alexander of Hammond 2027 WR EJ Douglas of Tampa, Fla. 2028 DT Prince Che of Thomasville, Ga. 2028 WR Keith Nolen Jr. of Stone Bridge, Va. 2028 QB Ty Page of Atlanta 2028 RB Michael Martin of Christ Church 2028 DT RJ Cruz of Owing Mills, Md. 2028 WR Trey Wembley of Daniel • 2027 DE Jaiden Bryant of Irmo is taking advantage of nearly every weekend this football season to visit one of the schools on his recruiting board. This past weekend Bryant went to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-Tennessee rivalry game. He’ll see the Crimson Tide as well this weekend in Columbia when they battle USC. The Gamecocks, with defensive ends coach Sterling Lucas leading the way, remain a steady presence in his recruitment. “Same ole same ole,” he said. “I know what me and them got going on, and nothing’s really changed with them. They know I’m going to explore different colleges, but we all know what the real story is.” Bryant did say that he no longer considers USC as a No. 1 on his list as he did last summer, simply because he wants to keep everything open now as he visits more schools. Bryant also visited Texas A&M earlier this month for the Florida game. “Loved the experience. Loved the atmosphere,” Bryant said. “It was a crazy statement for my first time being down there. The fans are very comforting. It felt like home when I went there. The coaches were telling me that I basically fit their defensive scheme, and I’m a perfect player for their alignment and what they have going on at their program. They say I’m similar to Cashius Howell (who has 8 sacks on the season). We’ve got similar play styles, and they’re saying that it would really be a good fit.” Before leaving, Bryant gave Aggies coach Mike Elkin a good indication regarding his feelings. “They know I loved it,” Bryant said. “I actually stayed an extra day to stay with the head coach. Me and him got to chop it up on Sunday. I had breakfast with him.” The rest of the schedule Bryant has put together for game visits: Nov. 1: Oklahoma at Tennessee Nov. 8: Syracuse at Miami Nov. 15: Arkansas at LSU Nov. 22: Samford at Texas A&M Nov. 29: Clemson at USC Clemson One of Clemson’s top priorities in the 2027 class has been turning heads on Friday nights as his team is unbeaten through the first six games of the year. Clemson linebackers coach Ben Boulware is one of the individuals whom Quinton Cypher (6-2, 220) from Millbrook High School in Raleigh has impressed. Boulware identified Cypher early in the recruiting cycle and had the North Carolina prospect on campus for Dabo Swinney’s high school camp as well as on campus for a visit during the LSU opener. Back in August, Cypher said the schools that secured game day visits were top contenders. And despite the struggles Clemson has faced in the 2025 season, the Millbrook linebacker still holds the Tigers in high regard, praising the culture that has withstood tough times. “Oh, my relationship with Clemson has grown tremendously,” Cypher noted. “I absolutely love the coaching staff. I love what they got going on. I really can’t stand when people talk bad about Coach Dabo (Swinney). I really am a believer in what he preaches.” Cypher has received plenty of love from Clemson and has reciprocated that in a big way, publicly defending Swinney when his most prominent critics have taken center stage. “I believe what they’re doing is right,” he explained. “He gets a lot of stuff about the transfer portal, all this, all that, and at the end I think he’s a great human being and a great coach, and I think all of it will work itself out, and they’ve been recruiting me hard, so I show love back, and obviously they are one of my top schools.” Cypher has plenty of visits lined up, including a trip to LSU earlier this month. He’s also been to Ohio State, which he considers a top school in his recruitment. As far as Clemson is concerned, the Tigers are right in the mix as a top school, and Boulware’s presence on a recent Friday night is a big reason as to why the Tigers are one of Cypher’s top programs. Adding, he’ll be ready to make a commitment when the time is right. “You’re just going to know when you know it is going to hit me. I might just be sitting in my bed, I’m thinking about it, and ‘Damn, that’s the school.’ And talk to some people, talk to my family about it, see how they feel about it, and make the right decision.” South Carolina has also been heavily involved with Cypher and is on his posted short list along with Clemson, Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Duke and North Carolina. He plans to visit Columbia for the Alabama and Clemson games. He was in for two USC games in 2024. Through seven games this season, Cypher had 87 tackles with 25 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. • One of Clemson’s top targets has only been on the big board for one month. Still, that lack of time doesn’t mean he isn’t incredibly important to the Tigers’ goals for the 2027 class. Edge rusher Rashad Streets (6-4, 230) of Millbrook was scouted by Boulware recently as well. “It means a lot,” Streets explained. “Just to have him watching where he can be anywhere, and my relationship with Clemson is pretty good. I talk with Coach Rumph a lot, and I keep in touch with Coach Allen frequently.” Streets was on campus for Clemson’s opener with LSU, and his visit schedule continues to be busy as the fall continues. He was in Tallahassee for Florida State’s matchup with Miami, and he has trips planned to see USC, Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon and Nebraska. Those schools, along with Clemson, are getting these visits because he considers them contenders for his services. Before the postseason begins and after visits conclude, Streets feels like he will have a better idea of which programs have risen to the top of his list. “I feel like my top 12 is close to dropping,” he stated. “Just taking these visits for that purpose, I would say my top 12 would probably drop before the playoffs start.” As far as Clemson is concerned, the Tigers have done a solid job of continuing to build the relationship since the offer was extended in September. Tom Allen’s defense has high interest in Streets, and that is certainly being reciprocated on Streets’ end. “I think the connection and the relationship I’ve built with the people at Clemson are pretty high, and they are a school I’m very interested in.” This season, Streets has 29 total tackles with 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries. He has also caused four fumbles and recovered two. • Clemson offered 2026 LB Brayden Reilly (6-3, 210) of Cincinnati. He committed to Northwestern in May. He also has offers from Vanderbilt, Missouri, Minnesota, Harvard, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Indiana and others. • 2027 DE Anthony Sweeney (6-4, 220) of Olney, Md., was offered by Clemson. Virginia also offered Monday. He has had an offer from South Carolina. He visited Texas A&M last Saturday. Notes • USC target 2027 CB Aamaury Fountain of Warner Robins, Ga., has added recent offers from Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, Georgia, Vanderbilt, LSU and Ole Miss. He planned to visit Clemson on Saturday, according to TigerIllustrated. • 2027 WR Aden Starling of Houston named a top five of South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Missouri and Ole Miss. He decommitted from Houston last week. • 2027 SAF Davion Jones of Charlotte named a top seven of South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. He visited Clemson for the LSU game and was at LSU last Saturday. • South Carolina offered 2027 LB AJ Randle (6-3, 210) of Raleigh. He made a visit on Saturday. He also has offers from Duke, Texas A&M, SMU, UConn, Tennessee, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Michigan State, Mississippi State and others. • West Florence LB Romello Patterson (6-2, 224) was offered by UCLA. He has been committed to Coastal Carolina since the summer.
