Napier Ranked Among Top 25 Recruiters

Feb. 13, 2007

Clemson, SC-Clemson tight ends coach Billy Napier has been ranked among the top 25 college football recruiters in the nation according to Rivals.com. Napier was one of six ACC coaches on the list.

This marks the third straight year one of Clemson’s assistant coaches has been ranked as a top 25 recruiter by Rivals.com. Current Clemson wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney was listed in the top 25 in 2005 and 2006.

Four of Clemson’s 22-member signee class were recruited by Napier, including three prominent players from the state of North Carolina. Rivals.com singled out defensive end Kourtnei Brown, defensive back Marcus Gilchrist and offensive tackle Landon Walker as prominent student-athletes signed by Napier.

Clemson’s overall recruiting class has been ranked 18th by ESPN.com, 21st by Rivals.com and 22nd by Scout.com. It marks the third straight year Clemson has been ranked in the top 21 in football recruiting by Rivals.com. Clemson is one of three ACC teams who have been ranked in the top 21 three straight years, joining Florida State and Miami (FL).

Napier, only 28 years old and one of the youngest coaches on the top 25 list by Rivals.com, coached Clemson’s tight ends in his first full season as a Division I assistant. His top performer, Thomas Hunter, was an honorable mention All-ACC tight end and finished the year with 16 catches for 305 yards, a team best 19.1 yard average. His yardage total was the highest by a Clemson tight end since Bennie Cunningham had 312 in 1975, his senior year when he was named a first-team All-American.