3-star safety Robert Billings officially signs with Clemson

Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton safety Robert Billings is on board. The No. 546 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 Consensus rankings has officially signed his national letter of intent to attend Clemson.

Billings committed back on July 31. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound safety has a reputation as a thumper in the back end.

Billings was credited with 98 total tackles and five tackles for loss in his senior season at Milton. Clemson’s persistence stuck out to Billings over the summer.

Winning factors for Robert Billings at Clemson

He was one of the last to commit after Clemson’s run on commitments over the summer.

“It was just the way that they recruited me,” Billings said back in July. “They never stopped recruiting me. With some schools, the connection and communication fell off. Clemson never stopped. I went on an official and that really helped me get to know some of the staff, some of the commits and some of the players on the team. They didn’t want me to camp, they already knew the skillset and ability that I brought to the table.”

Chemistry and location were key

Billings chose the Tigers over Michigan, Ole Miss and others. Clemson was one of the first programs that grabbed Billings’ attention. He took his time. Clemson’s commitment surge took place in June and July. Billings took a few visits before getting on campus at Clemson for the annual cookout event.

That helped seal the deal for Billings.

“It kind of helped me gauge if I made the right decision,” Billings said. “When I was there with all the commits, it felt like a family and a brotherhood. We’re a deep class. I feel like me, Avieon Terrell, Branden Strozier and Kylan Webb can make an impact in Clemson’s secondary.”

The distance was also a positive attribute of Clemson. Alpharetta is just over an hour and a half drive for Billings and his family. Clemson landed multiple players in the metro Atlanta area. It was a comfort for Billings. He played against three-star linebacker Dee Crayton this season. Their high schools are only about 30 minutes apart.

“It’s close to home,” Billings said. “We play against Dee Crayton and those guys this year. We’re pretty close. We talk about that stuff all the time. It’s nice to know that we don’t have to go too far. We can play football close to home.”