John Simpson to Clemson: Tigers Land 4-Star OG Prospect

Clemson solidified its offensive line in a big way Wednesday, as it secured a commitment from highly touted class of 2016 guard John Simpson.

Paul Zoeller of the Post and Courier provided a photo of Simpson making his decision:

Simpson is a 4-star prospect who ranks as the No. 7 guard in his class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. At 6'4" and 290 pounds, the North Charleston, South Carolina, native seemingly already has the body needed to contribute at the collegiate level.

That is why many of the top programs in the southern United States courted the Fort Dorchester High School star. Florida, LSU, South Carolina and Alabama all offered him scholarships, in addition to Clemson, per 247Sports.

While Simpson developed into a dominant offensive lineman in high school and became one of the most coveted players in the nation at his position, he has surprised himself with his success to this point.

According to David Shelton of the Post and Courier, Simpson never expected to excel in the high school ranks, let alone play top-level college football:

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Honestly, I never thought I was that good and I figured I would struggle just to be a starter at Fort Dorchester. I never saw myself as that talented. But the coaches at Fort Dorchester, coach (Steve) LaPrad and my line coach, coach (Joey) Still, they really pushed me and helped me see my potential. I owe who I am as a player to those guys.

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Not only does Simpson have a chance to compete against the best college football players in the nation, but he also could soon develop into one of them in his own right.

His talent was on full display at the Army All-American Bowl practices, as he went toe-to-toe with some of the top pass-rushers in his age group, as seen in this video courtesy of 247Sports' Rusty Mansell:

In addition to that, Simpson showed off his impressive athleticism by outrunning the other guards who were invited to the game, per Barton Simmons of 247Sports:

While it's unlikely Simpson will be asked to sprint down the field often, he certainly seems capable of operating in an uptempo offense if need be.

At the same time, he is big and powerful enough to grind down opposing defensive linemen with his run blocking, so he appears to be the total package.

His all-around skill set should play extremely well in the Tigers' explosive offense. Should he become a starter or at least receive significant playing time as a freshman, he will block for a pair of elite players in the form of quarterback Deshaun Watson and running back Wayne Gallman.

Clemson has established itself as one of the nation's top football programs on the heels of its national championship game appearance this past season, and Simpson has a golden opportunity to continue building upon that reputation.

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