This is a series where the Clemson Wire will evaluate the 2026 football recruiting class. Here, we will review a new Chad Morris wide receiver asset, Connor Salmin
Salmin is a 6’1 195 lb wide receiver from The Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland
Main takeaway: Salmin isn’t just “football fast”; he possesses verifiable, elite speed that places him among the best in the country.
Unlike some track stars who struggle to play football, Salmin is described as “quick to hit the gas” after the catch. He has a “top-gear” that allows him to pull away from defenders in the open field, making him a constant vertical threat. He holds a personal best of 10.44 in the 100m and a national record in relay events.
Outside of speed, Salmin possesses polished route-running skills, and impressive deep ball tracking skills.
“he is an elite elite speed guy, he’s as fast a guy as we’ve signed in a long time, he can run run run run, he trains with Olympians and can really go.” Dabo Swinney said once he was signed onto the team.
Salmin also has the potential to add special teams value to the roster as a return man.
The one downside is that in the world of blue-chip recruiting, Connor Salmin is essentially football’s version of Bo Cruz. Much like the fictional Spanish phenom in Hustle, Salmin carries a tape-only aura that has scouts intrigued and skeptics cautious. He is a verified track burner, as mentioned before, with his 10.44 speed, yet he remains a relative unknown on the national camp circuit. Without best on best verification from settings like the Under Armour Next Camp or Elite 11, Salmin becomes a high-stakes projection.
Clemson is not just betting on a wide receiver, but on whether a player who dominated local Maryland defenses is ready for the weekly jump to ACC competition.
The production at The Bullis School suggests he is legitimate, but until he lines up across from Sunday-bound corners, he remains one of the most talented question marks in the 2026 class.
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— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) February 1, 2026
NFL Comparison: Former Bengals first-round pick John Ross – To understand the ceiling and the basement of a prospect like Salmin, one must look at the ghost of John Ross.
In 2017, Ross became a draft-day legend by clocking a record-breaking 4.22 40-yard dash, a ‘track-to-gridiron’ transition that promised to break the league. Ross’s career became a cautionary tale of what happens when world-class speed meets a lack of physical durability and technical refinement.
The ‘Bo Cruz’ risk with Salmin is the fear of the John Ross effect: that once you strip away the 10.44 track markers and the highlight-reel cushions, you’re left with a player who struggles to win the hand-fighting battles against physical, Sunday-bound corners.
Clemson is betting that Salmin’s firm hands and polished route tree will prevent him from becoming another ‘workout warrior’ bust, ensuring his speed translates into actual production rather than just a historic stopwatch time.
Speed burns, speed kills, but you need more than just speed to be successful in the NFL.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson football recruit wire receiver connor salmin reviewed
