Ranked as the #8 prospect in the country by ESPN, five-star Wake Forest (NC) defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence had plenty of top programs bidding for his services over the course of the 2016 recruiting cycle. However, Lawrence has decided to stay relatively close to home, committing to the Clemson Tigers on Monday at a commitment ceremony at his high school.
"I can't wait for spring practice to get here. This guy is an unbelievable talent," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told ESPN.com after Lawrence's commitment announcement. "He's our kind of guy. He's a great fit for our culture here. He's very serious about his academics, he has wonderful parents, and I look forward to welcoming Dexter to the family.
"He'll show up in January as a mid-year and be ready to go. This is Christmas coming early today. Just excited about adding Dexter Lawrence to our recruiting class and the Clemson family."
Prior to his announcement, Lawrence took visits to Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, Alabama, and one to NC State last weekend. Lawrence joins fellow North Carolinian and ESPN 300 offensive guard Sean Pollard in Dabo Swinney's Class of 2016 haul.
Prior to Lawrence's verbal commitment, Clemson had the #20 recruiting class for 2016, per ESPN's rankings. That ranking is likely to improve significantly when the site updates its charts in the near future.
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