On Saturday afternoon, Webb School of Knoxville standout Shavar Young enjoyed one last celebration.
“It’s all a blessing,” Young said.
A years-long recruiting journey reached its final step Dec. 3, when Young signed with Clemson on National Signing Day.
Ten days later, his family orchestrated a final celebration.
“I thank God, having the family to come out here and support me, the way my parents go above and beyond for me, do anything that I need. But it’s getting real. You know, signing day has passed. It’s almost that time to go to college. It’s time to lock in.”
Young made history at Webb as the school’s first student-athlete to graduate early for sports, clearing the way to enroll early at Clemson and begin his football and academic career ahead of schedule.
“I want to thank Dr. (Ansel) Sanders (Webb’s principal) for allowing me to do that and be the first, start to set a trend,” Young said.
A trend he hopes becomes a path for others.
“Hopefully other future athletes through Webb can do it, do the same,” he said. “I got my credits all in the summer, so I had to work hard in the school part.”
Early enrollment also brings an earlier transition on the field. After playing both ways in high school, Young said he is eager to narrow his focus and sharpen his role at the next level.
“It’s a big part for me, because I’m probably able to focus on, like, just one part of my game,” he said. “I’ve been trying to study the playbook, get ahead of the game before I get up there, learn as much as I can.”
Clemson has felt like home for a long time, he said, and the feeling only deepened when he made it official. Young was the first commitment in the Tigers’ 2026 class, and he remembers the moment the coaches called after he signed.
“It was a special conversation,” Young said. “They all called me like, ‘Congratulations, you the first one. Thank you for sticking it out!’ So it’s actually a cool moment to do that.”
Even when other schools made late pushes after he shut down recruiting in August, Young said his decision stayed steady.
“In my heart, I felt Clemson was the right place,” he said. “So I’m just glad I stuck it out to receive that same excitement back from the coaches.”
The comfort mattered.
“Yes, that was actually one of the biggest reasons why I committed,” Young said. “It felt like home. It felt like a bigger version of Webb when I went up there. It felt comfortable for me, like a place I can always call home.”
As the celebration continued, he made sure to cherish each moment.
“It’s gonna be a long time before I see them again,” Young said. “I’m just happy they all came out. I appreciate all the people that’s been a part of this journey. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to pass it.”
And when the party ends, the work begins.
“I’m just looking forward to compete with the best athletes in the country,” he said.
