The class of 2026 has arrived and is poised only to get bigger and better.
Clemson Football secured their first class commit, as three-star quarterback Tait Reynolds announced his commitment to the Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
Reynolds originally announced his commitment to play baseball for Arizona State in January of last year, yet decommitted shortly after attending the Clemson Tigers football camp and receiving an offer. However, he still intends to play both sports.
“I’ll plan to play both football and baseball in college, at least my first year,” Reynolds said. “I’d like to keep those options open right now and continue to play both sports. I love to compete. It’s super busy juggling both sports, and I’m super tired all the time, but it beats sitting on my couch. It’s a lot of ice baths, but I love it.”
Tait Reynolds
As a freshman two seasons ago, Reynolds played 55 games as an outfielder with a .255 batting average, .336 OBP, 24 home runs, 22 runs, and 12 RBIs. Queen Creek and Reynolds would go on to play in the 2023 AIA Baseball 6A State Championship game, yet fell short, losing 3-1.
The following season, Reynolds led his team back to the 6A State Championship game, winning 6-5. Not only did he win a state championship in baseball, but he also showed promise during his first full football season as the starting quarterback, leading Queen Creek to the playoffs.
The junior two-sport athlete is the No. 1 recruit in Arizona and the No. 27 quarterback nationally, holding 28 football offers, according to 247 Sports. Other ACC teams include Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Miami and NC State. Other notable offers are Oklahoma, Tennessee, Oregon, and Washington.
Reynolds only played six games as a freshman, as it was his first year getting acclimated to the sport. He completed 47% of his passes for 544 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Reynolds also carried the ball 11 times for 67 yards and two touchdowns.
He showed steady improvement the following season, playing in 11 games for the Bulldogs while completing 54 percent of his pass attempts for 1,808 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions as a sophomore. He also rushed for an additional 631 yards and 17 touchdowns, showing intense usage of his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and gifted athletic ability.
He’s still developing, but the physical tools are there, and it will be interesting to see where his game is by the time he arrives in Clemson. The high-upside potential of such a young prospect makes him an extremely intriguing option for the Tigers down the road.
