2027 Four-Star Joshua Dobson Talks South Carolina, Clemson, and Busy Visit Schedule
Class of 2027 standout Joshua Dobson was in Columbia on Thursday night, though it wasn’t for recruiting. Instead, his Catawba Ridge High School team was on the road to face Spring Valley.
Dobson, who normally lines up at quarterback for Catawba Ridge, sat out with a shoulder injury but expects to return next week. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he’s recruited nationally as a cornerback, and both South Carolina and Clemson are pushing hard for his commitment.
“The staff has been texting me every day, just staying in contact,” Dobson said of the Gamecocks. “They are probably one of the more heavier contact teams I’ve been in contact with, not only my position coach, but the whole staff in general. Coach Beamer does an amazing job of contacting me. He’s probably the head coach that’s contacted me the most.”
Dobson said one of the biggest draws to USC is what he’s seen from their defense.
“That defense has been great the past couple of years,” he explained. “I really look at their cornerback room and the cornerbacks they’ve developed, and there are 16 on the next level. I think I’d fit really well. I like what they do with their defense. And they have some dogs on the D-line usually.”
He plans to return to Williams-Brice Stadium for the Gamecocks’ matchup against Oklahoma after previously attending their season opener versus Virginia Tech in Atlanta.
Dobson’s recruiting trail has been active. He opened his visits at Clemson on Aug. 30 for the Tigers’ game against LSU, where he got plenty of attention from head coach Dabo Swinney and corners coach Mike Reed.
“Clemson is in-state, so I’ll always like the Tigers,” Dobson said. “I got to talk to Coach (Mike) Reed and some of the other coaches on the staff. It was a great experience. I got to be there with some of the recruits I haven’t seen in a while that I was at camps with.
“Coach Swinney told me I’m a must-get. I’m in-state, you know? They need me in the cornerback room, especially when Avieon (Terrell) leaves. By the time I get there, (Ashton) Hampton will leave. Both of their starting cornerbacks this year, by the time I get there, they’ll be gone, so they really hope they can get me.”
Dobson also recently made his first visit to Oklahoma, where he connected with Brent Venables, the Sooners’ head coach and former Clemson defensive coordinator.
“It was a great experience, especially with it being my first time being out there. They really set a good standard for me,” Dobson said. “I like what they are doing over there. I like the defensive head coach. Coach Venables is a great guy. I just like the whole staff. They seem very genuine and family-oriented.”
The Sooners’ system, he added, feels like a strong match.
“The blitz packages they do with the cornerbacks,” Dobson said. “Venables has a lot of history with great defenses, so just put me in the right situation to make plays.”
His recruiting schedule remains packed. Dobson will visit Notre Dame this weekend for the Texas A&M game, followed by Tennessee on Sept. 20 and Penn State on Sept. 27. Trips to Florida State (Oct. 4) and LSU (Oct. 11) are also lined up. As of now, he does not plan to return to Clemson this season.
Dobson expects to release a list of top schools within the next three to four weeks. Last season, he recorded 48 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and three interceptions, solidifying his reputation as one of the top defensive backs in the 2027 class.
