Amare Adams, SC’s No. 1 recruit for 2025, commits to Clemson

One indication of where South Florence defensive tackle Amare Adams was going to commit came on Saturday, when he took the field at the 4A state championship game wearing orange and white gloves.

A day later, the four-star 2025 prospect officially made the pledge to Clemson.

Adams is currently the top-rated player in South Carolina for the Class of 2025, also rated as the 11th-best defensive lineman in the nation as well as a top-110 player overall.

Over the last few months, as Adams helped South Florence back to another state title game, he took visits to Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee before officially choosing the Tigers.

Saturday’s state championship was the final push. South Carolina sent nine assistant coaches along with head coach Shane Beamer to watch Adams. Meanwhile, Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin and DTs coach Nick Eason stood on the sideline, perhaps knowing they had already landed him.

As a junior this season, the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Adams tallied 61 tackles and three sacks, but his mere presence made him a threat. On Saturday, Westside sent two offensive linemen to block him on nearly every play.

“What coaches say they like about me is my motor and how I get off the ball and things like that,” Adams said earlier this week. “I play really everywhere. I play three-tech and sometimes I play outside, and head over tackle sometimes.”

Adams is Clemson’s fifth commitment in the 2025 class, but the first defensive player coach Dabo Swinney has pulled in for next year’s recruiting haul.