Clemson Top-100 safety commit Tae Harris shuts down recruitment

One of the jewel’s of Clemson’s 2025 recruiting class announced on Sunday that he has shut down his recruitment.

The Tigers landed a pledge from Cedartown (Ga.) four-star safety Tae Harris on March 18. The one-time Georgia pledge has continued to be pursued by other programs, notably the in-state Bulldogs, but the 5-foot-11, 185-pounder took to X to cement his status as a future Clemson Tiger.

“My recruitment is 100-percent closed,” Harris wrote.

He is the No. 70 overall prospect and No. 8 safety in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 10 player in the Peach State.

One of just 14 current commits in Clemson’s 2025 class, Harris is one of five top-100 overall prospects in the mix for Dabo Swinney and Co. Relationships ultimately helped the ACC program win out for one of the nation’s best defensive backs.

“Mentally, I have known it was Clemson,” Harris told On3 upon his commitment. “Everywhere I would go, I would compare it to Clemson. I looked at the different schools and I would say, ‘These schools have to beat Clemson.’ Nobody beat them. They kept standing at the top. Every box is checked by Clemson.” 

“I am home at Clemson and I can be most developed there,” he added. “It came down to the culture and the people. Coach Swinney has a high character. He hires guys with a high character and I get to play for the best people that are in it for their players.” 

Scout’s Take on Tae Harris

Earlier this summer, Harris was named one of the 25 most athletic prospects in the 2025 cycle by On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power, thanks to a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 33.8-inch vertical. He’s received consistent praise thanks to some of the best speed of any defensive back in the 2025 class.

“The Clemson commit out of Cedartown (Ga.) lit the track and camp circuit on fire this spring laying down some eye-popping times. Harris has run a 10.73 in the 100m and 22.39 in the 200m this track season and ran in the 4.3’s in the 40 in a camp setting. His workouts have been extremely impressive showing off his burst and movement skills at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. We felt that his athleticism, size and skillset translated more to the safety position at the next level and beyond due to his physical nature and willingness to come downhill as well as his ability to cover from sideline to sideline. He has tremendous upside as a defensive back that can play a multitude of roles in the secondary,” On3’s Cody Bellaire wrote this spring.