4-Star Lineman 'Loved' Clemson Visit, Feels Offer Is Coming

Clemson had a number of recruiting targets on hand for its home-opener against App State on Saturday night.

4-star in-state OL Malcolm Gaston (N. Augusta) returned to campus after having worked out at camp last June and despite not getting home until around 4 a.m. the atmosphere that comes with a capacity crowd for a night game really resonated.

“I loved it,” Gaston told The Clemson Insider. “You trying to come home and build momentum. Coming into an atmosphere like that I don’t know how the defense was doing calls or the offense was doing the snap counts because I couldn’t even hear myself talk.”

The inner-workings of the locker room pregame was another one of the things that stood out.

“There was a point when we had to go in the locker room and we got to see coaches talking with the players, seeing everything that was going on,” Gaston said. “We just seen everyone locking in and that was really the first time for me seeing anything like that. After that we had to run out the locker room, run the 100 yards and run up the hill.”

However, one of the most memorable moments was what has been called “The Most Exciting 25 Seconds” in college football as some of the recruits got to go up and watch the team run down the hill moments before kickoff.

“I felt like I was about to run down that hill,” Gaston said. “I felt like I was about to shoot down.”

While he was on campus, Gaston got to spend some time with offensive line coach Matt Luke, and the message was to keep doing what he is currently doing. Continue to put in the work, and Gaston feels like an offer is coming.

“He told me that I was on the right path for a scholarship,” Gaston said. “That I just needed to put out a little more film, so I already know that scholarship is coming.”

Back during his summer visit for camp, Gaston started to build a bond with current offensive lineman Tristan Leigh, with the redshirt junior offering up tips on how to improve his game.

“I talked to him and he gave me a whole bunch of advice,” Gaston added. “I’m cool with him. He taught me a lot of things. He was kind of my mentor.”

At the end of the day, it’s all about earning that offer and having the chance to play at Clemson, an opportunity the high school junior has always wanted.

“It would mean the world, I always wanted to go to Clemson,” said Gaston. “I feel like if I were to go there I would have a good shot at making the NFL.”

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