Recruiting: Clemson and USC eye RB Baker

Touted running back Carsyn Baker of Fairburn, Ga., visited Clemson's campus for the first time on March 3.

Running backs coach CJ Spiller has increased his recruiting efforts with Baker (6-2, 190), so the highly coveted back from Langston Hughes High School decided to make the short ride down I-85 to take in a spring practice.

Coach Spiller came by twice to see me at the school, and we had a great conversation, Baker said.

I told him I was going to come visit Clemson for a spring practice to see what its all about with coach (Dabo) Swinney and his staff, how they practice, how he coaches the backs and the culture at Clemson.

I wanted to see some of that.

Clemson is definitely starting to rise on my board.

Baker also could be back at Clemson on March 8 for their Elite Junior Day, but that is still to be determined.

He does have Florida State down for a spring visit on March 22, and he also plans to visit Georgia and Southern Cal in the spring.

Baker also has set official visits to Florida State on May 30, Ohio State on June 13 and Texas A&M on June 20.

South Carolina is also a major factor with Baker.

Shane Beamer and running backs coach Marquel Blackwell have been on Baker perhaps harder than any other recruiters considering the multiple visits hes made the Columbia going back to last spring.

And they are not letting up.

Langston Hughes High School running back Carsyn Baker Its most definitely strong with South Carolina also, Baker said.

They are one of my top five schools at the moment.

Me and South Carolina, we keep building this relationship, and Ill probably visit them this spring also.

I hear from them almost every day, and they say Im a real priority for their 2026 recruiting class, and they really want me there at South Carolina.

Baker said he most likely will take an official visit to USC, and he plans to talk with Spiller about an official visit with Clemson, though hes already scheduled an official visit to Florida State the weekend Clemson will stage its official visits.

Baker said hes looking at the latter part of the summer for making his decision.

OT Zyon Guiles (6-5, 290) of Carvers Bay is being touted as the No.

1 prospect in South Carolina for the 2026 class by at least one of the Internet recruiting services.

Guiles is certainly being recruited as a top prospect and has already scheduled official visits Clemson on May 30, USC on June 6, Florida on June 13, Georgia on June 20 and Tennessee on June 27.

Guiles knows those weekend visits will be filled with a heavy emphasis on football, with some academic and campus exposure worked in.

Thus, hes planning several spring visits so that he can get a better feel for life at a particular school.

Im just trying to look deeper into the colleges other than just football, Guiles said.

I want to see how the athletes live their whole day life and things like that.

Guiles mentioned Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Tennessee as some spring destinations with no dates set.

He also plans to hit up Clemson, USC and others for their spring games.

Clemson and USC are keeping in regular contact.

Guiles said he just heard this week from Swinney and Tigers offensive line coach Matt Luke, as well as Beamer and Gamecocks offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley.

I just spoke to a lot of them at Clemson, he said.

They were congratulating me on my new ranking and telling me to stay humble and just remember where it all started and things like that.

And I just got a phone call from coach Beamer not too long ago, a couple of days ago.

I was talking to him and coach Teasley.

Definitely, hes ready to get me back down there to see everything.

Guiles said he does not yet have a commitment date in mind because of how his feelings about the schools tends to fluctuate day by day.

USC and Clemson target CB Samari Matthews added official visits to Florida State on June 6 and Texas on June 13 to his schedule.

He previously had set visits to Clemson on May 30 and USC on June 20.

Oregon has also been on his short list.

OT Bear McWhorter of Cartersville, Ga., who had USC and Clemson among his finalists, committed to Michigan.

South Carolina and Clemson target OT Darius Gray set an unofficial visit to Michigan for April 8.

Clemson and South Carolina target WR Gordon Sellars of Charlotte plans to visit Michigan on April 11.

DE Jake Kreul of IMG Academy, who was offered last summer by Clemson and in January by South Carolina, did not include either in his top 12.

He named his top 12 as Florida State, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Michigan, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Miami, Ohio State, Florida and Penn State.

DT Trashawn Ruffin, a Texas A&M commit, has set an official visit to South Carolina for June 20.

Hes also set officials with LSU, North Carolina and A&M.

He also plans a spring stop at USC.

DT Aiden Harris and twin brother DE Andrew Harris set an official visit with N.C.

State for June 6, according to the Wolfpacker.

The brothers, who have visited South Carolina several times, also plan to take OVs with the Gamecocks in June.

South Carolina target CB Khary Adams was offered by UCLA.

South Carolina target DT Brian Harris was offered by Auburn and Oklahoma.

He has set a visit to Louisville for March 6.

South Carolina target DT Noah Clark of Durham added an official visit to Virginia for April 25 and one to Notre Dame on June 10, right after his scheduled visit with the Gamecocks.

He also has Duke, Virginia Tech and N.C.

State down for visits.

LB Nick Abrams of Owings Mills, Md., who had South Carolina on an earlier short list, did not include the Gamecocks in his top 10, which is now Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Southern Cal, Michigan State and Duke.

SAF Tylan Wilson of Pascagoula, Miss., set an official visit with Clemson for May 30, per Tom Loy of 247Sports.

He also has Arkansas on June 6, Texas A&M on June 13 and Mississippi State on June 20.

Clemson target DT Kameron Cody of Savannah set an official visit to UCLA for May 16.

He has also set OVs with Arizona State and Indiana.

He also picked up an offer from UCF.

OC Grant Wise named a top five of Clemson, Tennessee, Oregon, Miami and Alabama.

SAF Kaden Gebhardt of Ohio plans to visit Clemson on March 7-8, with the second day a junior day for the Tigers.

He is also down for the Clemson official visit weekend of May 30.

He also picked up offers from Colorado and Notre Dame.

Clemson target CB Ayden Pouncey of Winter Park, Fla., set an official visit to Syracuse for June 6.

He also plans to visit Michigan on March 28.

Clemson target WR Connor Salmin has set an official visit to Notre Dame for June 13.

OT Zaden Krempin of Texas will take an unofficial visit to Clemson on March 7, the first of several spring unofficial visits.

He will also make stops at LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Texas and Colorado.

He has scheduled official visits with LSU on May 30, SMU on June 6, Texas on June 13 and Michigan on June 20.

Clemson target WR Cederian Morgan has set an official visit to Colorado for May 9.

LB Cincere Johnson (6-3, 235) of Cleveland plans to visit Clemson on March 8, per Steve Wiltfong of On3.

Johnson has set official visits with Penn State on May 16, Alabama on May 31, Oklahoma on June 6, Ohio State on June 13 and Southern Cal on June 20.

Last season Johnson had 205 tackles with 41 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.

Clemson target DE Kamhariyan Johnson of Muscle Shoals, Ala., set an official visit to Auburn for June 10.

He plans to visit Clemson for the junior day March 8.

He has other officials set to Ole Miss on May 30, Alabama on June 6 and Tennessee on June 13.

He also picked up offers from Miami and Southern Cal.

Clemson target DE Dre Quinn set an official visit to Southern Cal for June 13.

He has Clemson set for May 30, Georgia on June 6 and Tennessee on June 20.

He also plans to visit Clemson on March 8 and Alabama on March 22.

Clemson target DT Kameron Cody of Savannah set an official visit to Georgia Tech on June 6.

He also has officials set with Arizona State on April 4, UCLA on May 16 and Indiana on June 13.

North Augusta OT Malcolm Gaston was offered by North Carolina.

He has also set an official visit to Georgia for June 20.

Dutch Fork DE Julian Walker has set spring visits to North Carolina, N.C.

State and Wake Forest on March 7-8, Missouri on March 11 and Michigan on April 4.

Orangeburg Prep TE Tilden Riley has set an official visit to Virginia Tech for May 30 and to FAU for June 20.

The final five with 6-1 Savvy Swords of Glen Head, N.Y., are South Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA, Michigan and Notre Dame.

PG Aaliyah Chavez of Lubbock, Texas, plans to announce on March 25.

She has had South Carolina, LSU, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA and Oklahoma as her favorites..

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