I really like this class. Obviously losing CB/ATH Brendan Langely was a HUGE loss in my opinion. My thought was this is the closest guy we have recruited to Stephon Gilmore since Stephon Gilmore. He was a mid year enrollee and could have cracked the depth chart with a strong winter program, spring practice, summer and fall camp ahead of him. Longterm, losing Rolin does hurt, but after his injury, his value for 2013 dropped to zero. Losing the JUCO LB to A&M was a much bigger loss in my opinion.
That being said, I think this is really a good class.
QB- Connor Mitch- recruiting analysts say Mitch is the best QB SOS has recruited since he has been at Carolina. Mitch is a system QB, but I argue that is his strength for the SOS system. Spurrier wants a guy that will drop back, take his steps and get the ball out of his hand. I really like this pickup after Hackenberg decided on Penn St.
RB- Jamari Smith is a nice player. I have talked to some folks lately that I trust who say he may be the most underrated prospect in the sunshine state. David Williams impending commitment makes this a great RB class. Could we have persuaded both 5 star Greg Bryant and Williams to both choose SC? I don't know, but Williams has been the top target all along and after watching his film, I agree. He is an elite back. One college RB coach that is a great evaluator told a friend of mine that in his opinion, David Williams was the top RB in the 2013 class.
TE/WR- Carolina passed on TE Jordan Davis who wanted to commit to SC, instead he is going to UGA. WR recruiting is a mystery. I doubt we sign one in this class, but I have a feeling its going to be acrazy month of January never say never.
OL- I think this has the chance to be an elite OL class. Securing the top two OL prospects in SC early was a great move by Shawn Elliott. I think DJ Park can be an elite player. Just like some of the guys that have pounded us from LSU and Bama. He is a mauler. OG Alan Knott may be teh most SEC ready OL in the state of Ga. and has the size, athleticism and mean streak Elliott longs for in an OL. JP Vonashek is a big-time tackle prospect that had a commitable UGA offer when he chose SC. The impending commitment of elite OT Na'Ty Rodgers will cap off this class and make it one of the top OL classes in the country.
DL- Brad Lawing has an interesting group coming in for 2013. Lawing did not find one of his "basketball player" types at DE like a Taylor, Clowney or Darrius English, but he has some great talents in this class. DE Alfy Hill is the jewel of the class and should be an immediate impact recruit. Hill is a perfect fit at SDE and a player that can move inside when Carolina goes to its rabbit package. DT Kelcy Griffin is an elite talent as well. Griffin fits what Carolina does to a tee on defense. A 290 pounder timed at 4.7-4.8 in the 40 yd dash, Griffin is a player that should have a long and productive career.
DE's Devin Washington and DeVante Covington are both 6'3+ and can run. Both should redshirt and move into the rotation in 2014.
Hybrid DE/LB Gerald Turner is just a football player. It will be interesting to see where he ultimately plays.
Carolina is still in the game with elite DT Keith Bryant. If Bryant and family make the official visit the weekend of Jan. 18, I think Carolina will have a legit shot. Bryant is having a hard time leaving home, but some family members prefer he does leave Fla and play at SC. This one will go all the way to NSD in my opinion. Carolina could become a player for Immokalee DT
rin Senat, especially if Bryant stays in the sunshine state.
LB- I have already beat this one to death. LArenz Bryant is an elite player. He was the one MUST get player at LB and Carolina got him. With Cooper's injury, Bryant will most certainly play asa true freshman and could end up as a starter.
David Johnson is a MLB prospect that could grow out of LB just like Melvin Ingram did. We will have to wait and see, but Johnson is an outstanding football player with a high motor. I like him a lot.
Carolina needs to sign two more Linebackers in this class. At this point the top candidates are Yannick Ngakoue 6'3 230 LB, who plays with is hand down for his high school team, Fast riser Zach Cunningham 6'4 210 from Pinson Valley HS in Alabama, 6'3 215 pound Skai Moore from Ft. Launderdale, FL who is currently committed to Rutgers and Keith Kelsey a 6'2 215 pound LB from Gainesville, FL who has not been offered yet, but has a connection to SOS. His father played for Spurrier at FLA. Others may or may not emerge, but this position will be critical for Carolina moving into the January recruiting period. A major longshot but an intriguing situation to follow nonetheless is MLB Reuben Foster. Lorenzo Ward has a great relationship with Foster, but UGA, Bama and Auburn will be tough to beat.
DB- Pharoh Cooper is the most unheralded prospect in the class and a guy that could be a CB or FS. Cooper is a ball hawk and a player with great football instincts. CB Ronnie Martin is a mid-year guy that will have his chance in spring practice to make his way onto the two-deep. Ali Groves was a nice early pickup and a guy that will help down the line. FS Jasper Sasser was another early spring pick up and will have to overcome a foot injury before making his way on campus in the summer of 2013. He is likely headed for a redshirt.
Carolina is trying to find another elite cover guy for this class. Immokalee CB Mackensie Alexander is a longshot but has a wildcard personality. Early playing time is important to him, but Carolina is behind several other programs heading into 2013.
Sandy Creek CB Shaquille Wiggins is the guy that Carolina has the best chance to flip. Wiggins is a smaller CB, but would be a nice late addition to the class and give the coaches another cover guy heading into fall camp.
If Carolina can add at least one more LB and possibly two to go along with Williams and Rodgers, this will be a very good class. The more of the remaining prospects I named like Wiggins, Alexander, Senat and Bryant Carolina can add, obviously the more talented this class will become.
I like this class, but the glaring need is at LB and juco mid-year options are now gone. LB will likely be the achilles heel for the 2013 defense. Signing Ngakoue and either Cunningham or Moore would add two more talented freshmen to the mix.
That being said, I think this is really a good class.
QB- Connor Mitch- recruiting analysts say Mitch is the best QB SOS has recruited since he has been at Carolina. Mitch is a system QB, but I argue that is his strength for the SOS system. Spurrier wants a guy that will drop back, take his steps and get the ball out of his hand. I really like this pickup after Hackenberg decided on Penn St.
RB- Jamari Smith is a nice player. I have talked to some folks lately that I trust who say he may be the most underrated prospect in the sunshine state. David Williams impending commitment makes this a great RB class. Could we have persuaded both 5 star Greg Bryant and Williams to both choose SC? I don't know, but Williams has been the top target all along and after watching his film, I agree. He is an elite back. One college RB coach that is a great evaluator told a friend of mine that in his opinion, David Williams was the top RB in the 2013 class.
TE/WR- Carolina passed on TE Jordan Davis who wanted to commit to SC, instead he is going to UGA. WR recruiting is a mystery. I doubt we sign one in this class, but I have a feeling its going to be acrazy month of January never say never.
OL- I think this has the chance to be an elite OL class. Securing the top two OL prospects in SC early was a great move by Shawn Elliott. I think DJ Park can be an elite player. Just like some of the guys that have pounded us from LSU and Bama. He is a mauler. OG Alan Knott may be teh most SEC ready OL in the state of Ga. and has the size, athleticism and mean streak Elliott longs for in an OL. JP Vonashek is a big-time tackle prospect that had a commitable UGA offer when he chose SC. The impending commitment of elite OT Na'Ty Rodgers will cap off this class and make it one of the top OL classes in the country.
DL- Brad Lawing has an interesting group coming in for 2013. Lawing did not find one of his "basketball player" types at DE like a Taylor, Clowney or Darrius English, but he has some great talents in this class. DE Alfy Hill is the jewel of the class and should be an immediate impact recruit. Hill is a perfect fit at SDE and a player that can move inside when Carolina goes to its rabbit package. DT Kelcy Griffin is an elite talent as well. Griffin fits what Carolina does to a tee on defense. A 290 pounder timed at 4.7-4.8 in the 40 yd dash, Griffin is a player that should have a long and productive career.
DE's Devin Washington and DeVante Covington are both 6'3+ and can run. Both should redshirt and move into the rotation in 2014.
Hybrid DE/LB Gerald Turner is just a football player. It will be interesting to see where he ultimately plays.
Carolina is still in the game with elite DT Keith Bryant. If Bryant and family make the official visit the weekend of Jan. 18, I think Carolina will have a legit shot. Bryant is having a hard time leaving home, but some family members prefer he does leave Fla and play at SC. This one will go all the way to NSD in my opinion. Carolina could become a player for Immokalee DT
rin Senat, especially if Bryant stays in the sunshine state.LB- I have already beat this one to death. LArenz Bryant is an elite player. He was the one MUST get player at LB and Carolina got him. With Cooper's injury, Bryant will most certainly play asa true freshman and could end up as a starter.
David Johnson is a MLB prospect that could grow out of LB just like Melvin Ingram did. We will have to wait and see, but Johnson is an outstanding football player with a high motor. I like him a lot.
Carolina needs to sign two more Linebackers in this class. At this point the top candidates are Yannick Ngakoue 6'3 230 LB, who plays with is hand down for his high school team, Fast riser Zach Cunningham 6'4 210 from Pinson Valley HS in Alabama, 6'3 215 pound Skai Moore from Ft. Launderdale, FL who is currently committed to Rutgers and Keith Kelsey a 6'2 215 pound LB from Gainesville, FL who has not been offered yet, but has a connection to SOS. His father played for Spurrier at FLA. Others may or may not emerge, but this position will be critical for Carolina moving into the January recruiting period. A major longshot but an intriguing situation to follow nonetheless is MLB Reuben Foster. Lorenzo Ward has a great relationship with Foster, but UGA, Bama and Auburn will be tough to beat.
DB- Pharoh Cooper is the most unheralded prospect in the class and a guy that could be a CB or FS. Cooper is a ball hawk and a player with great football instincts. CB Ronnie Martin is a mid-year guy that will have his chance in spring practice to make his way onto the two-deep. Ali Groves was a nice early pickup and a guy that will help down the line. FS Jasper Sasser was another early spring pick up and will have to overcome a foot injury before making his way on campus in the summer of 2013. He is likely headed for a redshirt.
Carolina is trying to find another elite cover guy for this class. Immokalee CB Mackensie Alexander is a longshot but has a wildcard personality. Early playing time is important to him, but Carolina is behind several other programs heading into 2013.
Sandy Creek CB Shaquille Wiggins is the guy that Carolina has the best chance to flip. Wiggins is a smaller CB, but would be a nice late addition to the class and give the coaches another cover guy heading into fall camp.
If Carolina can add at least one more LB and possibly two to go along with Williams and Rodgers, this will be a very good class. The more of the remaining prospects I named like Wiggins, Alexander, Senat and Bryant Carolina can add, obviously the more talented this class will become.
I like this class, but the glaring need is at LB and juco mid-year options are now gone. LB will likely be the achilles heel for the 2013 defense. Signing Ngakoue and either Cunningham or Moore would add two more talented freshmen to the mix.
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