4-star Clemson commit Marquise Henderson shares thought process behind joining Dabo Swinney’s team

Marquise Henderson, a highly touted four-star running back from Belton-Honea Path High School in South Carolina, made headlines when he committed to Clemson on Dec. 11. His decision to join the Tigers came just hours after receiving an offer in person from Tigers coach Dabo Swinney.

Recognized as the second-ranked recruit in South Carolina for the 2025 class, Henderson also received offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech and Maryland. However, Clemson’s atmosphere resonated with him the most.

On Saturday, local reporter Chapel Fowler posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), where the running back talked about his pledge.

"I think they started recruiting me at maybe like the end of my sophomore year, they started inviting me to games and stuff, keeping up with me and stuff, and they just went from there," Henderson said.

Henderson also revealed his excitement upon receiving the offer.

"Man, it was great, man," Henderson said. "I grew up a South Carolina fan, man, but when you go into certain types of stuff, you go into seeing the colleges and stuff, man, Clemson is a great place to be, man. Everything about Clemson is all about family, all about working, all about being the best person you could be."

When asked if he anticipated the offer, Henderson said:

"I've been on their campus so many times. The entire coaching staff, including coach (Tyler) Grissom and coach (Garrett) Riley, had been great to me, so I had a feeling the offer was coming."

Henderson revealed the offer was made during a personal visit, not a call.

"Coach Swinney invited me to campus, and I was the only recruit there. He made the offer in his office," he said.

On the field, Henderson has proven to be a standout, guiding his team to the Class 3A state semifinals and rushing for over 2,300 yards with 37 touchdowns during his junior year.

Dabo Swinney bolsters Clemson's 2025 recruiting class with top talent

Clemson's 2025 recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the best, thanks to early efforts by Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff. Among the Tigers' latest commitments is defensive end Bryce Davis, who chose Clemson over programs like Duke, Georgia and South Carolina.

Davis, a 6-foot-2.5, 265-pound standout, is the sixth top-100 player to commit to Clemson this cycle. His commitment helped elevate the Tigers to the No. 6 spot in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, surpassing Notre Dame and Texas A&M.

This cycle has been particularly strong for Dabo Swinney in recruiting defensive line talent, with four elite commitments, including Isaiah Campbell and Amare Adams. Campbell, ranked No. 40 nationally, is the No. 4 DL and the second-best player in North Carolina, while Adams is the top player in South Carolina and No. 6 at his position.

Other notable recruits include Gideon Davidson, a top-three running back, and Marquise Henderson, another four-star running back. The class is rounded out by four-star offensive tackle Brayden Jacobs and quarterback Blake Hebert.