Does Clemson Have Legit Shot to Land No. 1 Overall Recruit Rashan Gary?

Rashan Gary, the country's top-ranked college football recruit, has locked in his final official visit of a recruitment process that started in 2012.

Clemson will be the final program to play host, according to Tony Crumpton of TigerNet.com. Expect Gary and his support staff to go silent following his stay with the Tigers, setting the stage for a highly anticipated Feb. 3 commitment announcement.

"We will be going to Clemson and entering our own dead period until signing day," his mother, Jennifer Coney, told Crumpton. 

The 6'5", 293-pound defensive tackle, who received his first offer from Rutgers before his freshman year, previously spent an unofficial visit at the university last spring. Though, as Phil Kornblut of the State reports, the complete Clemson coaching staff was not present on campus during Easter break. 

Gary, a senior at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey, focused on two schools for his final visit, according to Kornblut. Alabama also factored into the decision, and he made Tuscaloosa an earlier stop on his national tour, but the Crimson Tide were left out of his equation when it comes to official visits.

Clemson joins Auburn, Michigan, Ole Miss and USC on Gary's official visit list, which kept analysts guessing about his fifth destination for months. Make no mistake, the Tigers are an underdog here, but this development at least gives the coaching staff a chance to send him home with a positive final impression of the ACC champions. 

Michigan, viewed as the favorite to land Gary, most recently welcomed him to town. He traveled to Ann Arbor last weekend, caught on camera in the Wolverines locker room with head coach Jim Harbaugh and assistant Chris Partridge, who previously coached Gary at Paramus Catholic:

It was the latest in a series of trips to Michigan for Gary, who used an official visit in Ann Arbor during the season. Close friend Kareem Walker, a 4-star running back, enrolled early and is one of five New Jersey products who help piece together an impressive 2016 Wolverines class.

Gary, who capped off his prep career with three sacks in the Under Armour All-America Game, has been tight-lipped about leaning toward any particular teams, but expectations point toward Michigan. He is projected to sign with the Wolverines by 78 percent of experts' predictions in 247Sports' Crystal Ball, including the past 23 picks.

Don't expect that to deter Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, who delivered his squad to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game and already claims commitments from two defensive linemen considered top-10 prospects at their respective positions. 

Dexter Lawrence, a 5-star North Carolina defensive tackle rated No. 2 overall in composite rankings behind only Gary, enrolled early. Kansas pass-rusher Xavier Kelly is considered the No. 8 weak-side defensive end this cycle and will arrive at Clemson later this year.

The Tigers coaching staff, specifically defensive coordinator Brent Venables, have an opportunity to showcase a program that has quickly ascended college football's hierarchy. Clemson is 56-12 since 2011 and returns Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson at quarterback for at least one more season. 

Unlike other schools under his consideration, Clemson's coaches boast cohesiveness that's tough to locate elsewhere. Auburn, USC and Michigan each hired a new defensive coordinator this winter, forcing Gary and his mother to re-acclimate with a fresh presence.

It's unlikely to become a tipping point on signing day, but Clemson will need to use every card in its deck in order to pull off a late upset and that one is worth noting. Another is the proximity of family, as Gary has an uncle who serves as assistant basketball coach at nearby Anderson College, according to Kornblut.

Despite its high profile, this is a recruitment that's been largely devoid of signing day hints or cryptic social media messages. The outside perception seems to be Michigan out in front and plenty of murkiness beyond that.

While we don't envision Gary landing with the Tigers next month, Clemson is getting all it can ask for with a last-minute sales pitch. Swinney, coming off a season that secured his spot among the sport's coaching stars, would truly steal the spotlight on signing day if he pulls off an improbable pledge from America's most coveted recruit.

Tyler Donohue is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Tyler via Twitter: @TDsTake.