Yardbarker
x
Clemson Loses Battle for 5-Star OL Target to In-State Rival
Clemson misses out on a top target Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite a relatively successful summer on the recruiting trail, the Clemson Tigers have missed out on one of the top prospects in the 2026 cycle.

Five-star interior offensive lineman Darius Gray announced his commitment to arch rival South Carolina on Friday evening, per Hayes Fawcett on X, choosing the Gamecocks over Clemson and other finalists LSU, Tennessee, and Ohio State.

Although the Tigers cracked Gray’s top-five earlier this month, they never seemed to necessarily be in the driver’s seat of his recruitment. Frontrunners South Carolina and LSU emerged as the favorites to land the five-star down the stretch, meaning Clemson likely needed to mount a considerable comeback in the final stages leading up to his commitment.

However, that obviously did not happen, as Gray is now set to play his new few years just two hours down the road in Columbia, S.C.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder from Richmond, Va., is ranked as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman and No. 16 overall player in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. The same metric lists him as the top recruit from the state of Virginia.

Clemson was the first of his five finalists to host Gray for an official visit – the recency factor could’ve potentially influenced his decision even though the Tigers were never a favorite.

He followed his official visit to Clemson on May 30 with Tennessee on June 6 and Ohio State on June 11 before heading to LSU on June 13 and South Carolina on June 20, per 247Sports’ recruiting timeline.

Gray would’ve been a massive pickup for the Tigers, as 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins describes Gray as an “athletic offensive lineman with a dense build that has the foot quickness to lead the way on long pulls or counters and the horsepower to hold the line of scrimmage or change it.”

Ivins also mentioned how the jump from lower private school competition in the VISAA (Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association) to the extremely physical, unrelenting nature of Power Four football may warrant Gray a developmental year or two to get adjusted to the talent differential.

If he elected Clemson, the elite blue-chipper would’ve easily stood as the highest-rated commit in the Tigers’ 2026 class, according to 247Sports. Dabo Swinney and company boast 10 four-stars and 11 three-stars, but are yet to secure a pledge from a five-star.

Although Gray’s commitment would’ve been a significant boost for the class, Clemson still possesses a plethora of talent in its 2026 class across the offensive line. Four-star offensive tackle Leo Delaney and four-star interior offensive lineman Chancellor Barclay top the charts as the Tigers’ highest-touted commits, followed by four-star tackle Carter Scruggs and four-star interior lineman Grant Wise

Three-star offensive tackles Adam Guthrie and Braden Wilmes round it out, bringing Clemson to a total of six offensive line pledges.

The Tigers’ 2026 class is ranked No. 15 nationally in 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings with 21 commits thus far.

More From Clemson Tigers on SI


This article first appeared on Clemson Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!