The coaching staff came in right away looking to get the top talent from the state and one of the top priorities was Brentwood Academy receiver Neo Clifton.
Now, after taking multiple visits to see the program under that new staff, the in-state receiver has committed to the Blue Raiders.
He first visited Middle Tennessee for a junior day event at the start of February, where he was able to connect with other targets and coaches, including head coach Derek Mason.
"When I came to visit, the one thing that really caught my attention was Coach Mason's energy and attitude. He's very positive and confident in his ability to coach. I can tell that he really cares about his players outside of football,” he said after the visit.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During the recruiting process and the visits, he was really able to connect with receivers coach Cornelius Williams, who viewed him as a priority recruit at the position.
"On the visit, I mainly talked to Coach Williams. We basically talked about how MTSU runs its offense and how they can implement me into it,” he said after the junior day.
That relationship was a huge reason that MTSU stood where it did with the in-state target who is now committed.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Now, after a recent summer visit, he has decided to commit to play for Coach Williams at the next level in an offense he finds attractive.
Clifton is an outside receiver with the size and athleticism to make contested catches to help his quarterback out. As Middle Tennessee will look to establish a prolific passing game to complement the run game, he sees a lot of opportunity to use his skillset to make plays.
“The coaches say the offense is going to be heavy on the passing game, and obviously, I love to hear that as a wide receiver.”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