Top 100 Prospect Recaps First Visit to Clemson, Talks Importance of NIL

After making his very first visit to Clemson, high school sophomore Marquis Bryant feels pretty confident that he will be back at some point in the near future.

The 4-star defensive back (Rolesville, NC) was on hand for the Tigers’ 59-35 blowout win over NC State on Saturday, and the atmosphere inside Memorial Stadium made an impression.

“Just the atmosphere of the place,” Bryant told The Clemson Insider. “How the fans interact with the players. The coaches and how they show love to players. And just their straightforwardness on the recruitment process.”

Bryant is a name to know in the 2027 class. He is already a Top 100 prospect with close to a dozen offers already under his belt. While Clemson won’t start offering players in his class until next summer, Bryant respects Dabo Swinney’s approach to the recruiting process.

“They told me that I was high on their board for ’27 and they love my film,” Bryant said. “That I check all the boxes and that they would offer me, but they just want to take their time and be slow in the process. And that means a lot to me, because they’re true to their word.”

On the visit Bryant got to spend some time with safeties coach Mickey Conn and assistant safeties coach Nolan Turner. Both were extremely transparent with Bryant, something he appreciates.

“Definitely. I love the atmosphere there,” Bryant added. “They were very straightforward, telling me what I need to do in the recruiting process. What to expect and what not to expect from these coaches, things like that. So, definitely look forward to get back up from there soon.”

North Carolina, NC State, Miami, Penn State, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke and Indiana are some of the teams to have already offered. Bryant is looking to take game day visits to Tennessee, Florida State and Penn State this season.

The blue-chip talent added that he would like to get back to Clemson later in the season but if he couldn’t he would definitely be back no later than next spring. After that, he is hoping that he gets that call next summer with an offer from the Tigers.

“It would mean a lot,” Bryant said. “Me and my mom, we love Clemson. We used to watch them back when they won the national championship in 2016 with Deshaun Watson. So it’ll mean a lot to get that call.”

For now, Bryant plans to keep taking the recruiting process slowly. He isn’t looking to make a decision anytime soon. What he’s looking for is a strong culture.

As for the NIL part of the recruiting process, that is something that Bryant doesn’t really concern himself with much. For him, it’s about the relationships.

“It doesn’t really factor in for me,” Bryant said. “I just want to find a school that feels like home and feels like me and my family can come back to that school whenever I need it.”

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