Clemson Football Loses Recruiting Battle for 2026 Running Back to ACC Rival
Clemson got off to a slow start when it came to the 2026 recruiting cycle, but that changed in a heartbeat following their Elite Retreat weekend when the Tigers dominated headlines with high-profile prospect after high-profile prospect committing to the program.
That’s a good sign for Dabo Swinney and his staff.
While they have been able to land elite players in recent years, they haven’t been at the top of recruiting rankings consistently like they were when they competing for national championships.
So to get back to that point, winning recruiting battles is important.
Unfortunately, they have started to slow down a bit recently.
Clemson lost out on an in-state offensive in target, with him committing to South Carolina over the Tigers.
Now they have lost another battle, with four-star running back Javian Mallory staying in the ACC with the Miami Hurricanes.
Ranked as the 269th player in the 2026 class and No. 27 at his position per On3’s Industry Ranking, the 5-foot-11 ballcarrier from Boca Raton decided to stay home.
“One of the biggest reasons that I chose Miami was because that is the school I believe I will be able to come in and compete day one at for a very impactful role on the team,” he said, per Chad Simmons of On3.
Perhaps the immediate emergence of star freshman Gideon Davidson played a role here.
Swinney has had rave reviews for the class of 2025 star since spring practices have gotten underway. And with the running back roles open for competition, there’s a chance Davidson could be the starter for three or four years.
How that impacts Clemson’s efforts at this position in recruiting cycles going forward will be seen.
They currently have no running backs committed in the 2026 class, and while it’s still early and they could secure some of their other targets, the need isn’t pressing during this cycle.
