Georgia Tech loses commitment from offensive lineman Trent Howard

A Georgia Tech cheerleading team member runs with a  Tech flag before the second half at Memorial Stadium on the Clemson University campus in Clemson, S.C. on Thursday, August 29, 2019. Clemson won 52-14 over the Georgia Tech. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

A Georgia Tech cheerleading team member runs with a Tech flag before the second half at Memorial Stadium on the Clemson University campus in Clemson, S.C. on Thursday, August 29, 2019. Clemson won 52-14 over the Georgia Tech. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

UPDATE, Saturday, 8 a.m.: Offensive lineman Trent Howard of Birmingham, Ala., announced Friday that he had received a scholarship offer from Clemson and had committed to play for the Tigers. In a tweet, Howard described Clemson as "a place I have dreamed about being for years." Howard's father Johnny was a teammate of Clemson coach Dabo Swinney at Alabama.

Georgia Tech lost its second commitment of this week when offensive lineman Trent Howard of Birmingham, Ala., announced his change in plans via Twitter on Thursday.

Howard wrote that, in recruiting, “things change and often change fast.” Indeed, Howard received a home visit Sunday from Tech coach Geoff Collins and offensive-line coach Brent Key. He had changed his decision, he wrote, after “an unforeseen opportunity,” which could reasonably be interpreted as an unexpected scholarship offer.

Howard also thanked Collins and Key and said that his commitment was a decision “that I do not take lightly.”

Howard is a three-star prospect ranked 74th nationally among guards.

With Howard’s decision, Collins now has 21 prospects committed to the 2020 signing class. On Monday, safety Nick Turner of New Orleans withdrew his commitment, which had been expected.