On300 WR Darrius Clemons Reflects On Signing With Michigan, Looks Forward To Enrolling

This week was supposed to be a memorable one for Darrius Clemons.

The On300 Michigan wide receiver signee out of Portland (Ore.) Westview committed to play in the All-American Bowl and arrived in San Antonio, Texas for the festivities on Monday. However, Clemons’ dream quickly became a nightmare.

Clemons tested positive for COVID-19 and must now quarantine in his hotel room for five days. He is not allowed to participate in practices, events, or the game itself and cannot return to Portland due to regulations surrounding the pandemic.

“When we first got here, we had to take a PCR-COVID test, which didn’t feel good at all,” Clemons said. “I had the full first day of the experience. It was like 2 or 3 a.m. last night when I got a knock on my hotel door, and they told me I had COVID. That definitely sucks. There is nothing we can do about it — or so they say. It was a childhood dream that got taken away.

“I can’t even go home because I have to quarantine for five days, so I’m stuck in the hotel until Sunday. I’m here by myself. I can’t talk to anybody or see anybody. I want to go home, but I can’t even go in the airport.”

While his All-American experience is over, Clemons has plenty to look forward to following quarantine. An early enrollee, Clemons is set to arrive at Michigan next week for the start of classes and winter workouts.

“I’m super excited,” Clemons said. “I’m psyched to get up there with all those guys and get things started. I would say I’m really looking forward to my first college workout. That’s when it’s really going to hit me. Enrolling early will eliminate the growing pains of learning the playbook and all that. I can hit the ground running when fall camp starts.

Clemons was one of a handful of splash lands for Michigan on National Signing Day. The elite pass catcher initially left Michigan out of his top group in the summer, but the Wolverines were relentless in their pursuit.

After a strong season and continuous contact, Josh Gattis, Ron Bellamy and company were able to convince him to take an official visit right before the dead period and ultimately won him over.

“Coach Gattis kept hitting me up,” Clemons said. “He was in contact from the beginning of the season. Once Coach (Mario) Cristobal left Oregon for Miami, he convinced me to take a visit. Things really started to pick up from there. Coach Gattis is really down to earth and a non-BS type of person. Coach Bellamy was in contact with my dad during that time span as well. And Michigan winning a lot of games this season definitely helped.”

So did the official visit.

Clemons, who grew up in the Lansing-area, felt at home at Michigan and enjoyed his first in-depth look at the program.

“I had gone up there the weekend after they won the Big Ten Championship, and the football players were like royalty,” Clemons said. “People found out I was a recruit, and the look on their faces was amazing. The academics were even better than anticipated. Coach Gattis did a great job of providing a template and breaking down the path to how I could get on the field early.”

Clemons actually grew up playing youth football with Michigan wide receiver Andrel Anthony. Clemons played quarterback, while Anthony played running back as the two formed a dangerous duo.

Now, Clemons and Anthony will reunite as teammates at Michigan, where both are expected to make impacts next season.

“We were football teammates, played basketball and ran track together,” Clemons said. “He didn’t recruit me that hard because he’s really laid back. But once he found out that I was making an official visit, he told me it was the place to be. He talked to me from a friend perspective. We’re super excited to play with each other. Our playing styles complement each other. It should be fun.”

Clemons signed with Michigan over offers from Auburn, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, USC and others.

At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Clemons is ranked as the No. 5 wide receiver and No. 47 overall prospect nationally, per On3.