It’s a very special day for two Clemson recruits, who join new hire Chris Rumph and the defensive end room for the Clemson Tigers. Dabo Swinney found two solid prospects Darien Mayo and Adam Kissayi to headline this position group for the recruiting class, as they hope to fulfill the roles of defensive ends of seasons past.
Darien Mayo
From Olney, Maryland, Darien Mayo was the No. 24 defensive end from the class, choosing the Tigers over USC and Ohio State to come and join Rumph’s group.
Immediately, Mayo is different from other recruits based on his physical appearance. Standing 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, the long archetype of Mayo will give himself an advantage over the linemen who attempt to guard him. Reports have also said that Mayo has only gotten better over the last few years, marking that when he arrives at Clemson, the best is yet to come for the young defensive lineman. Mayo is incredibly quick off the snap, and with the progression that could be approaching for the Maryland native, this could be another “diamond in the rough” candidate that Swinney is exceptional at finding.
With players like T.J. Parker, A.J. Hoffler, and Cade Denhoff in front of them, a great camp from Mayo could propel him into the spotlight early, but he seems more like a player that will gain more and more playtime throughout his collegiate career.
Adam Kissayi
Another 6-foot-7 athlete is headed to Tigertown, with three-star recruit Adam Kissayi committing to the Tigers back in mid-July. From Palm Bay, Florida, Kissayi was not always committed to Clemson. The incoming freshman was committed to Minnesota for a month, before decommitting on the same day to become the second edge to join Clemson in the 2024 recruiting class.
Kissayi is more of a raw talent that comes from the frame that he possesses. Standing 6-foot-7.5 and 230 pounds, the Florida native added 13 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks as a junior, proving that he can get to the quarterback and be a disruptor in the backfield. With someone as tall and as lean as Kissayi is, he can instantly serve as a player who can get up from the snap quickly and cause mayhem early on in a play.
I’m very excited to see what Rumph does with a player like Kissayi. Despite not being the best-rated recruit out of the class, the frame that he holds, as well as the commitment to flip from another school to play in Death Valley, this incoming Tiger will get exponentially better as each season goes on. Kissayi and Mayo could be a duo that fans could get used to in two or three seasons from now.
