Peach State DB commits to Clemson

By Sam Neumann | January 16, 2022 2:45 pm ET Follow @Sam_Neumann_

Myles Oliver was done waiting.

By the time the Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.) 2022 defensive back announced his offer from Clemson on Twitter, he was already committed. Oliver officially verbally pledged to the Tigers on Sunday.

Oliver (6-0, 170) remained patient throughout his recruitment process. But as he found himself on Clemson’s campus this weekend for his official visit, there was no more reason to wait.

When asked by The Clemson Insider why he pulled the trigger on his commitment to Clemson, Oliver pointed to the coaching staff and the “great campus.”

With his verbal commitment to Clemson on Sunday, Oliver becomes the 14th member of Clemson’s 2022 recruiting class. Of course, 12 of those signed during the early signing period, with nine of them enrolling early and arriving on campus this past week.

Oliver is just the latest addition to a class in need of some reinforcements. That’s especially true on the defensive side of the football, as four former verbal commits backed off their original pledges in the aftermath of Brent Venables’ departure to Oklahoma.

He never did waver in his belief that his time would come.

Across his senior campaign, Oliver recorded five interceptions, 75 total tackles (55 solos), four touchdowns, 101 interception yards and 552 all-purpose yards. He received Douglas County Player of the Year for honors for his contribution on the field this season.

He picked up offers from Charleston Southern, Georgia Tech and Bethune Cookman, but this one, this offer from Clemson was different. His reaction to said offer says it all. While he won’t officially put pen to paper until Wednesday, Feb. 2, it looks like Oliver has found his next home.

Oliver’s head coach at Douglas County, Johnny T. White talked to TCI in December and spoke about why he believed Clemson would ultimately be a good fit for the under-the-radar defensive back.

“Clemson would be a great place because it’s close to home for him,” White said. “Family’s big to him, so that’s not far. But, at the same time, I think it would be beneficial on both sides. I think he’d end up being a great player for Clemson. I know he’d be a standout guy because he’s a great young man. He’s a better young man than he is a football player, to be honest.”

White has little doubt — if any — that Oliver would be well taken care of from a developmental standpoint at Clemson. Believe it or not, he has a close relationship with Clemson cornerbacks coach Mike Reed, which is how Oliver wound up on the Tigers’ radar in the first place.

“I know Coach Reed would get the best out of that young man and I know he’d be in great hands with Coach Reed,” White said. “At the same time, also understand that he’s one of those kids that can be coached hard, that’s gonna give you everything that he has.”

According to Oliver, Reed likes that he’s fast and has really good ball skills. He also wants him to improve as a cornerback.

What also needs to be said is that Oliver is as humble as they come.

He comes from a family that’s had a lot of great football players. Oliver has two first cousins — Brandon, who played wide receiver at Georgia Tech, and Braelen, who is a starting linebacker at the University of Minnesota. Also, his older brother, Malik, played at Jacksonville State.

That Oliver name holds a lot of weight in Douglasville.

“He’s always been humble,” White said. “He’s never felt like anybody’s owed him anything. He understands that he has to work for everything he’s ever got.”

And that’s exactly what he’ll do when he arrives on campus this summer.

Extra Points: Oliver became the second recruit on campus this weekend to verbally commit to Clemson. Vestavia Hills (Ala.) High School wide receiver Cole Turner announced his commitment to the Tigers earlier Sunday. Cole, of course, is the younger brother of longtime Clemson safety Nolan Turner.