Prized in-state football recruit chooses Clemson over Georgia, Georgia Tech

September 22, 2016 Atlanta - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Paul Johnson (left) and Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talk before their game at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Thursday, September 22, 2016. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

September 22, 2016 Atlanta - Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Paul Johnson (left) and Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney talk before their game at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Thursday, September 22, 2016. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Darnell Jefferies, a three-star defensive tackle from Newton High School in Covington, announced this week that he will attend Clemson in 2018.

Jefferies (6-foot-3, 265 pounds) is the third highly recruited in-state prospect to choose Clemson during the 2018 cycle, joining top-ranked quarterback Trevor Lawrence of Cartersville and defensive end Justin Mascoll of Snellville.

Jefferies has offers from 25 schools, including Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Florida, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and Ohio State.

He last visited Georgia on June 7, and committed to Clemson on June 12. Both Georgia and Georgia Tech made his list of 10 finalist schools.