Clemson edges SEC, ACC competition for major North Carolina DL
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Clemson is looking to solidify a top-10 recruiting class for 2026, and the Tigers landed a key prospect on Saturday out of North Carolina.
The latest commitment comes in the form of Keshawn Stancil, a defensive lineman out of Clayton (NC) High School. Stancil previously confirmed a final group consisting of Clemson, NC State, Miami, Georgia and Penn State before committing to Dabo Swinney and the Tigers.
Stancil is listed at 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds as a multi-sport competitor for Clayton. He also competes in track and field and took his official visit to Clemson earlier in June before committing to the Tigers on Saturday.
According to the 247 Sports Composite, Stancil is a 4-star prospect and the 20th DL recruit in the country for the 2026 recruiting class. He’s also the 157th overall player in the country, regardless of position.
Here’s a look at what he brings to the table via his Hudl highlights:
The addition of Stancil brings Clemson’s 2026 recruiting class up to 20 hard commitments for the cycle. That group is close to finalizing a top-10 recruiting class as the No. 7 overall class in the country, according to the team composite. In terms of the ACC, only Miami has a better class at this point, with the 6th overall class in the country.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
