2. Jacolbe Cowan, 4-star DT
Defensive line is clearly a position of need for Clemson football in the 2020 recruiting class. There are already three commits from the class, and they are not done. If they manage to land Cowan, they would have depth for four years.
Out of all of the prospects on this list, Cowan is up in the air the most. No one is really sure where he will land, so it wouldn’t be right to say that Clemson is at the top of his list. In fact, I would almost bet against him joining the Tigers. Even if they aren’t high on his list, he is certainly high on theirs.
The best chances to land Cowan in my eyes are Tennessee and North Carolina. Like anyone, Cowan wants to be a priority. That would make it hard for him to go to Clemson since they have already gotten commitments from multiple players at defensive tackle. Being from North Carolina, it gives the Tar Heels an edge. Cowan is definitely good enough to earn a scholarship with the Tigers, but he will more likely take a bigger role with a lesser team.
If Clemson somehow made it back in the Cowan sweepstakes, they would have one of the best defensive line classes in recent memory. A Cowan signing would give them depth at the position, and depth on the line is sometimes the most important trait the line can have. I’m not predicting for the Tigers to steal Cowan from the other suitors, but they will definitely try.