It came down to the colleges he formally visited after one of Clemson football’s top targets in the 2026 recruiting class made a choice this past weekend.
Over the weekend, Joey O’Brien, a five-star safety, visited Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, and Clemson before deciding to attend one of the Tigers’ fiercest rivals in recent memory: Notre Dame.
For the first time during official visit season, Clemson fails to meet a significant objective, which is actually a remarkable run for Dabo Swinney.
Indeed, the Tigers will lose out on a lot more targets this cycle, particularly as their class fills up, but Dabo has so far been successful in landing the most of his Plan A players. In the hopes of landing at least one or two more in that bracket, he is currently heading for another five-star, for whom he obtained a crystal ball earlier this month.
O’Brien was the No. 4 safety in the 2026 class and the 30th overall recruit, so missing him stings. Additionally, he visited a rival, which is detrimental for upcoming encounters with the Irish.
O’Brien was one of just a few five-stars present at Clemson for the historic official visit weekend on May 30. When he visited Notre Dame on June 13 prior to his choice a week later, it is evident that the latter occurred. Typically, such teams have a significant advantage to set the tone and make a lasting impression by receiving the first and last official visits.
Clemson is expected to add to its current top-five class in the near future.
