Local Edge Rusher Completes Flip To Clemson

The Clemson Tigers entered signing day without expecting many surprises. Still, one question mark lingered.

That uncertainty no longer remains, as three-star edge rusher Michael Foster of Seminole Indian Land High School (Fort Mill, South Carolina) flipped his commitment to Clemson after signing his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday. 

The decision seems to have come down to the wire, with Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney offering some insight earlier in the day.

“We're still chasing another in-state guy,” Swinney said. “We'll see how that goes this afternoon.”

After spending nearly five months committed to East Carolina, the 6-foot-3 and 230 pound pass rusher recruit decided to become a Tiger less than a month after Clemson offered him back in November.

With players like T.J. Parker and Will Heldt expected to enter the draft this year, Foster should have the opportunity to compete for immediate playing time as Clemson should be thin at the position next year.

According to 247Sports’ recruiting rankings, Foster is the 46th best prospect in the state of South Carolina and the 193rd best edge rusher in the country. 

While Foster was already viewed as a Division I prospect, his senior season put him on the radar of several Power Four programs.

During his senior season, the South Carolina native racked up 131 tackles while also totaling 12 sacks and 26 tackles-for-loss.

Through two varsity seasons, he has totaled 218 tackles and 24 sacks.

Besides Clemson, he has also been heavily pursued by West Virginia University lately. The Mountaineers offered Foster just a day before Clemson did, and hosted him for an official visit on Nov.28. Besides West Virginia, he took an official visit to Yale on June 19, and visited East Carolina on June 12.

He also held offers to programs like Ohio, Yale and The Citadel.

Foster joins JR Hardrick as Clemson’s two edge rusher commits for the 2026 class, and the sixth defensive player to sign.

A quick look at his tape will show a raw, but explosive pass-rusher who gains an immediate advantage against opposing tackles and tight ends by having a lightning-quick first step. When defending the run, he uses his long arms to control blockers before diagnosing the play and shedding them off to make a stop. 

Standing at just 230 pounds, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Foster pack on a few pounds of muscle upon entering a top-tier strength and conditioning program. 

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