EDGE JiQuan Rogers commits to Clemson: ‘It is a special place’

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JiQuan Rogers’ recruitment exploded this spring.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound EDGE out of Birmingham (Ala.) Ramsay added over a dozen offers during the process, but once Clemson entered the picture in April, the Tigers never backed off.

Clemson offered Rogers on April 11 after getting him on campus for a visit, and the Tigers immediately made him feel like a priority.

He has committed to the Tigers.

“They took a shot on me,” Rogers told Rivals. “That meant a lot to me and my recruitment. Since they offered me, it has been about building relationships. The relationships they built, how honest they’ve been the whole time and the fact they took a chance on me played a big role in my commitment.”

Defensive ends coach Chris Rumph led the charge.

“We have built a strong relationship since they offered me. It wasn’t even always about football. It was about getting to know me better. I like our relationship, and I like the kind of coach he is. He has developed a lot of good players, so he has a great history.”

The first visit to Clemson in April changed the direction of the recruitment. Rogers walked away with his interest high on the Tigers and it only grew.

“I was really impressed by the facilities, the atmosphere and the overall culture around the program,” he said. “It was great up there, and I loved it all.

“When I left that visit, I had interest because they were one of the first big schools to take a shot on me. My feelings only got stronger after that.”

Arkansas, Florida and Georgia Tech emerged as the biggest competition late, but Rogers shut things down for Dabo Swinney and Clemson.

“What stands out about Coach Swinney is his background and the fact he wins. He has created a great culture there too. The whole coaching staff are former players. If they keep coming back, that means something special is going on there.

“It is one big family up there. It is a special place.”

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