ACC Spotlight: Notable pipelines to high school football talent factories
A major part of recruiting is coaching staffs getting their foot in the door at high school programs that annually produce multiple high-level, Power Four players. And once a coaching staff can create a pipeline at these high school football factories, it can be one of the biggest built-in recruiting advantages every year.
This week, we are taking a look at which Power Four programs have an established pipeline at certain high school football factories. Next up is the ACC.
CENTRAL (S.C.) DW DANIEL – CLEMSON
A local program to Clemson‘s campus, Daniel has produced a long line of Tigers relative to football on Saturdays and well beyond. The alumni list is as strong as any at the top, with a pair of first-round NFL Draft picks in a three-year span. DeAndre Hopkins may still represent the most famous former Lions player to don the local orange at the next level. Just two years later, defensive end Shaq Lawson also saw his name called in the first round after his CU days were done.
More notable names in the Daniel-to-Clemson pipeline include longtime NFL player Jarvis Jenkins and a pair of well-known athletes in the current era in brothers Jake and Tyler Venables, of course the sons of longtime defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
The current Clemson roster sports several Lions, as one may expect, including defensive line contributor Jaheim Lawson among a handful of others.
FT. LAUDERDALE (FLA.) ST. THOMAS AQUINAS – MIAMI
Arguably the top football program in fertile South Florida, there have been scores of St. Thomas Aquinas prospects to end up at Miami dating back to Michael Irvin in the 1980s. Of course the pipeline hasn’t slowed down into the current era, as former Raiders to see the brightest of lights after time at Miami include first-round NFLers Phillip Dorsett and other pros such as Brandon Linder, Leonard Hankerson, Tavares Gooden and Anthony Reddick. Miami’s all-time receiving leader Xavier Restrepo also had a stint at the school before his college days.
The recent rosters at UM have seen a jolt of local talent line up to play close to home and that means more Raiders became Hurricanes in the process. Freshman defensive back OJ Frederique, breakout running back prospect Jordan Lyle and second-year wide receiver Chance Robinson headline the current contingent on campus.
It may not soon slow down, as current Raiders recruits Miami is trying to reel in include Justice Fitzpatrick, Daniel Norman, Julius Jones, Mark Matthews and Zayden Gamble.
MIAMI (FLA.) CENTRAL – MIAMI
Some of the biggest names to come through the program may have starred against the hometown Miami Hurricanes, like a Dalvin Cook at Florida State for example, but there have been some UM greats coming from the school since the turn of the century such as Willis McGahee and Najeh Davenport. The backfield part of the pipeline would continue with blue-chippers Joseph Yearby in addition to big names Trevor Darling, Navaughn Donaldson and the late Bryan Pata going from a Rocket to a Cane.
There was a small lull in the pipeline about a decade ago, but it has since turned around in a large way under Mario Cristobal. In fact, five Central Rockets are on the current Hurricane roster including former five-star pass rusher Armondo Blount and 2023 freshman All-American Rueben Bain Jr.
On the trail, UM hopes the pipeline continues with blue-chip targets at Central such as linebacker Karon Maycock in the 2026 class and wide receiver Sean Thompson in 2027.
DALLAS (TEXAS) SOUTH OAK CLIFF – SMU
The newest members of the ACC have plenty of pipelines to their own name, too, and the current roster at SMU leans on a new one in Lone Star State power South Oak Cliff. The Bears are represented by five different players on the Mustang roster, including captain and returning All-ACC quarterback Kevin Jennings, Texas pass rush transfer Billy Walton III and others.
The SOC-to-SMU pipeline may just be hitting its stride as Rhett Lashelee and company should splash following an ACC runner-up campaign in 2024. Looking ahead to the 2027 class, a pair of coveted prospects are high on the program early on in No. 9 offensive tackle Brian Swanson and defensive line recruit Jaderian Jones.
