Clemson Tigers Recruiting is Going to Be in Deep Trouble

The Clemson Tigers are no longer a powerhouse program. In fact, they are no longer even a good one at this stage.

Clemson is playing in the ACC, and yet, it isn't even a top-five team in the conference. Again, this isn't the SEC or the Big Ten. This is the ACC, which is frequently the butt of jokes ... and for good reason.

The Tigers are 4-3 this season and are 2-2 in conference play following their home loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday.

As Paul Finebaum recently said: there was a time when a Dabo Swinney loss was treated like a Nick Saban loss. Now, no one cares.

Be honest: was anyone surprised that Clemson fell to Virginia Tech? Five years ago, that would have been a huge story. Now? People just acknowledge that the Hokies (who are now 6-2, by the way) are probably the better ballclub.

The Tigers went just 7-6 last year, so they have basically been a .500 team for two seasons. Remember that mystique, that aura that used to surround Memorial Stadium and make it a terrifying place for opponents? Yeah, that's gone now.

And now, you really have to wonder just how Clemson will be able to properly recruit given the fact that Wake Forest is now suddenly a better team.

The Tigers did bag five-star wide receiver Jamarin Simmons (who recently suffered a season-ending knee injury at Godby, by the way) for the class of 2027, but there is still a chance that he decommits before long.

Clemson simply doesn't have "it" anymore, and Swinney's archaic recruiting methods make things even more challenging.

Swinney does not permit Tigers commits to take official visits with other schools, and while I completely understand the thought behind it (you should keep your word), it just doesn't fly in today's Wild, Wild West landscape.

And if we're being honest, what leverage does Clemson have at this point?

There used to be a time when everyone wanted to play for the Tigers, so Swinney was able to hold that leverage in his back pocket.

You want to take visits elsewhere? Fine. But don't come back.

That was understandable when Clemson was basically Alabama 2.0, but now? With the Tigers having gone 11-10 since their CFP loss to Texas two years ago? It just doesn't hold the same weight anymore.

Now, Clemson should consider itself lucky to even get visits from elite recruits, so there really isn't much the Tigers can do to scare them.

It doesn't look like Clemson recruiting will ever be the same.