Georgia OL overcame poor first impression to earn an offer from Gamecocks
SPORTSTALK / February 24, 2022
Typically, a prospect will go to a school’s summer camp, show out and earn an offer, or flame out and be written off. Last summer OG DJ Chester (6-5 305) of McDonough, GA competed at one of the Shane Beamer camps at USC in front of offensive line coach Greg Adkins. It did not go well that. But Chester heeded some words of advice from Adkins and the result was an offer from him earlier this month.“That was one of my worst camps ever but somehow the coaches were still looking at me,” Chester recalled. “They offered two of my teammates and they would come to the school a lot. I’ve known the coach since camp and every time he would come to the school, I would see him. When I got the offer, he was like I had gotten better since camp, and I had transformed my body like I asked you to for you to get better.”
The fact it took Chester a little extra time to earn an offer from the Gamecocks was not a negative in his mind.
“I love how they were upfront with me and never tried to sugarcoat anything with me in my recruiting,” Chester said. “I like how we’ve built our relationship since the summer and it built up into an offer It wasn’t just an offer out of the gate, it built up into an offer.”
Chester got a look at the Gamecocks last summer and kept an eye on them last season. He’s been impressed by what he’s seen from Beamer thus far.
“It’s going to be amazing,” Chester said. “I can see the way he’s changed the program and the direction it’s heading in; it’s going to be a real good program.”
The offer immediately put the Gamecocks in play for Chester who has landed a number of major offers over the past month.
“They are one of the top ones on the board,” Chester said. “I’m looking for a place where I can not only develop as a football player but as a man. I want to have a big relationship with the coaches and make sure it feels like home.”
Auburn and Cincinnati offered Chester Thursday, a day after Colorado offered. He’s also picked up offers recently from Kansas, Indiana, Maryland, Duke, Southern Cal, Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan State, Connecticut, Nebraska, UCF, LSU, Miami, ECU, Florida A&M and Mississippi State.
Chester visited Nebraska in January and in March he plans to visit Miami, ECU and Michigan State. He’s looking at April for a visit to USC.