4-Star LB Target Loved 'Live' Crowd During Clemson Visit

One of Clemson’s top linebacker targets fell in love with Clemson’s game day environment during his visit for the NC State game.

4-star LB DQ Forkpa (Mill Creek, GA) liked it so much, he returned for Saturday night’s contest against Stanford.

After his visit for the game against the Wolfpack, Forkpa spoke with The Clemson Insider, noting some of the highlights of the trip included getting some time with defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin and experiencing the culture Dabo Swinney has created at Clemson.

“I like how coach Goodwin, even though it was game day, he still acknowledged all the players that he invited to come. He still showed love to us and everything,” Forka said. “And I like the culture there with coach Dabo.”

It was a raucous environment for a noon game, and the crowd certainly made an impression.

“It was pretty live,” Forkpa said. “So yeah, the fan base showed up. When we came out of the locker room to jog on the side of the field to go up to the hill where Howard’s Rock is, it was live.”

When asked what made him want to visit in back-to-back weeks, Forkpa credited the fan base.

“I just like how that game day atmosphere feels,” he said.

The 6-foot, 225-pound high school junior picked up his offer from Clemson back in June just after the contact period began. Since then Forkpa said Goodwin has been in regular contact.

“Coach Goodwin texts me every single week,” said Forkpa. Like a lot of schools, they don’t text me every single week. He’s always checking in on me. On top of that, how Clemson does their recruiting. They don’t offer till the junior year. So once they know, they know. That helps a lot too. It’s like I know that I’m welcome there.”

Forkpa still has future game day visits set for Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee and is looking at making a decision as early as next spring. Before that, he may put out a list of top schools after his high school season.

When asked if there was something that differentiated Clemson from some of those other schools, the blue-chip prospect said there was. One of those things being how invested Goodwin has been in his recovery from a herniated disk.

“He’s always checking on me, asking me how practice is going,” Forkpa said. “I just came off an injury and he’s really active, trying to see how I’m doing. If my body feels good. Stuff like that. It feels like he actually wants to get to know me. Actually wants to coach me.”

As Forkpa continues to go through the process of looking for a collegiate home, one thing that will be key is his education. Not to mention a coaching staff that can develop him, on and off the field.

“Who can develop me for the next level, and who can set me up for life after football,” Forkpa said. “Because I’m not always going to have football in my life. There’s going to come a time where I can’t play anymore. So I need to get a good education at the school. Clemson actually has the… they’re good at business and that’s what I want to major in.”

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