Premier college football programs from all around the country flocked to try and court Jarrell Chandler.
On Monday, though, the Halls High School defensive back let it be known where he wanted to attend.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound All-5Star Preps selection announced at a school ceremony Monday that he was verbally committing to Clemson.
Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Miami turned out to be the other finalists for Chandler, per social media posts last week that expressed his final four teams.
“Really, when I look at who I believed could change me as a person and not just a player, Clemson dives really deep into player development and equipping young men with life goals,” Chandler told 5Star Preps. “And that’s something that I really wanted to experience.”
Known for his tenacious style of play, competitive fire, physical frame and high level of productivity, Chandler built a monster season in 2025.
He racked up 109 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 23 pass breakups and one interception this past fall, helping Halls reach the Class 5A state semifinals. He also pulled wide receiver duty as a junior and finished with 766 yards and seven touchdowns.
“He’s a player who’s not even close to scratching the surface,” Halls High School head coach Brent Hughes said of Chandler. “He’s still so raw with football in so many ways. You’re talking about a kid who’s almost 6-3 and now he’s 205. His closing speed is ridiculous. His length is ridiculous.
“You’re getting an unfinished product, which is what, I think, Clemson and other schools were excited about. You see a kid with his size and who’s gotten extremely strong in the weight room in the offseason and who has improved ball skills. From a defensive perspective, you’re just licking your chops when you think about how you’re going to use him. I think it’s just knowing the fact that he hasn’t reached his full potential yet, which makes him more intriguing as a prospect.”
But he has been turning heads since his freshman year at Halls, where he wowed on the hardwood with above-the-rim plays. By September 2024, at the start of his sophomore season, Chandler’s football recruitment began to spike and never dip.
Louisville offered that month. Kentucky offered in October 2024. Arkansas, SMU, Indiana, Tulane, and Georgia Tech came calling and offering in January 2025.
As the process wore on, programs like Tennessee (April 2, 2025), Georgia (Oct. 17, 2025), Michigan (Nov. 23, 2025), Florida State (Nov. 30, 2025), Clemson (Jan. 20, 2026), Ole Miss (Jan. 22), Florida (Jan. 23), Texas A&M (March 23), Miami (April 13), and Alabama (April 22) offered, too, among others.
“Clemson is one of the few schools in the country who truly sees me as a big, athletic safety,” Chandler told 5Star Preps. “Some of these schools projected me into a WILL linebacker or a safety this or that, but Clemson really keyed in my skill set. They think it’s the best fit for their defense — what I can do can help them.”
Article written by Jesse Smithey/5Star Preps. To read more on area high school sports or to see photo galleries, videos, stat leaders, etc., visit 5StarPreps.com — and use promo code HAMMERS for 30% off your first year or month subscription.
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