The Clemson Tigers continued to reload and dominate along the recruiting trail with the recent commitment of a four-star linebacker recruit out of Georgia. Clemson has always recruited well under Dabo Swinney, but recently, it has not been as good as usual. The recent commitment says they might be back on track to domination with their first commit of the 2027 class, Max Brown.

Brown committed to the Tigers over Ohio State and Tennessee, via Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports.

At 6-foot and 215 pounds, he is a four-star linebacker from Jefferson, Georgia, who decided to commit to a school early despite having one more season of high school football. One massive factor in Clemson's decision is that he is the younger brother of Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown.

Tennessee and Ohio State felt like they were in the running, but they couldn't compete with the family factor that Clemson offers and had a leg up on the others.

Article Continues Below
More NCAA Football News
Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Beaux Collins (5) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Mitchell Evans (88) celebrate a two-point conversion against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Notre Dame continues epic June by landing top 3 TELorenzo J Reyna ·
; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown during the Georgia Spring game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Georgia football lands 4-star WR over 3 SEC rivalsJaren Kawada ·
Peyton Falzone visits OSU the day of the Ohio State Buckeyes' 38-15 win over the Indiana Hoosiers in an NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
Auburn football flips 4-star Penn State QB commitJaren Kawada ·
Gator fans cheer as the flags are brought onto the field during the first half of the University of Florida Orange & Blue game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Florida football picks up big recruiting win over rival GeorgiaScotty White ·
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) throws a pass during the game against the Texas Longhorns in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
Cade Klubnik name drops Arch Manning among 4 loyal QBs changing the gameScotty White ·
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) throws during the second half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. Ohio State won 28-14.
Ohio State lands stud OT over Texas, Texas A&MLorenzo J Reyna ·

It signals that the Tigers are keeping their hot streak alive. After a fairly disappointing recruiting class by Clemson standards in 2025, they were ranked 28th. They jumped to a top-five class in 2026, and with Brown's commitment to start off the 2027 class, they are immediately a top-20 class after just one player.

Brown is following in his brother's footsteps and joining a linebacking corps with a rich recent history. Sammy Brown finished his high school career as a five-star recruit, and with his brother Max still having one more season of high school football, there is still a high probability that he joins his brother in the five-star club.

Clemson's star has faded a little bit ever since the transfer portal and NIL were thrust into the forefront of college athletics. Head coach Dabo Swinney has been a vocal critic of both, and at first was someone who rarely even used the transfer portal, but has slowly used it even more.

However, Clemson got hot near the end of last season, on their way to a surprise berth in the College Football Playoff. With its production returning, they will almost be a top-five team in the preseason polls for the 2025 college football season.

Brown's commitment is the latest signal that Clemson is here to stay. Despite fading a bit in recent years, they are still a powerhouse on the recruiting trail.