Press Conference
Live Wednesday @ 3:00 p.m.Athlete Vicari Swain remains the lone committed Gamecock still expected to sign Wednesday. SportsTalkSC’s Phil Kornblut reported via Twitter that USC “commitment DE Zavion Hardy said he won’t sign today, hopes to do so by end of week, waiting on word from NCAA Clearinghouse, not sure where he stands with them, if it’s a not for now, he’ll have to wait until February to sign.”
1:24 PM: USC signed SAF Jalon Kilgore (6-2 196) of Eatonton, GA. Kilgore chose the Gamecocks from his short list that also included Clemson, Oklahoma, Michigan and Tennessee Tech. He attended the USC spring game, and he took official visits to Oklahoma and USC. He committed to the Gamecocks on June 15th. Some of his other offers were North Carolina, Pitt, Ole Miss, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Florida and Kentucky.12:34 PM: USC signed DE Desmond Umeozulu (6-6 240) of Upper Marlboro, MD. Umeozulu’s top four included USC, Ohio State, North Carolina and Pitt, the four schools he visited officially in June. Umeozulu’s other offers included Clemson, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Washington, Southern Cal, Penn State, Texas, Georgia, West Virginia, Northwestern, Tennessee, Florida State and Oklahoma. While he visited USC twice during the process, he also visited his other finalists at least twice. In fact, he went to North Carolina four times.
12:28 PM: USC signed TE Reid Mikeska (6-6 230) of Cypress, TX. Mikeska had previously committed to Clemson and to Miami before signing with the Gamecocks. Mikeska also had interest from Alabama, Texas Tech, LSU, Miami, Florida, Michigan State, North Carolina, Baylor, Auburn and Tennessee. Mikeska made an unofficial visit in November for the Tennessee game before making his official visit to USC the weekend of Dec. 17th.
12:20 PM: USC signed DB Zahbari Sandy (6-2 200) of Washington, DC. His other offers included West Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland and Ole Miss. Sandy visited USC for the Clemson game last season and returned for a spring practice in April.
12:15 PM: USC signed DL Monteque Rhames II (6-5 240) of Sumter. Rhames was a frequent visitor to the football facilities this summer. Rhames also had Georgia, Michigan, Alabama and NC State in his top five. His other offers included Virginia Tech, UCF, Florida State and Coastal Carolina. He made several other unofficial visits besides to USC including stops at Clemson, NC State, North Carolina and Alabama.
12:06 PM: USC signed TE Connor Cox (6-2 227) of Jacksonville, FL. Cox visited USC’s campus unofficially on multiple occasions before taking an official visit June 12th and committing to the Gamecocks at its conclusion. Some of his other offers were Minnesota, Maryland, West Virginia, Texas, Vanderbilt and Louisville.
11:59 AM: USC signed TE Kamron Sandlin (6-2 220) of Anniston, AL. While Sandlin is listed as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks nationally in his class, the Gamecocks have listed him as a tight end. Sandlin also had offers from Mississippi State, Kentucky, UAB, Western Kentucky, Georgia State, Austin Peay and Samford.
11:37 AM: USC signed WR Tyshun Russell (6-2 185) of Harrisburg, PA. Russell took an official visit to USC December 16th and committed to the Gamecocks at its conclusion. He also took an official visit to Virginia Tech. Maine and Central Michigan were his other offers. This season Russell had 57 catches for 1213 yards and 18 touchdowns. He can also play in the secondary.
11:00 AM: USC signed OT Oluwatosin Babalade (6-5 296) of Washington, DC. Babalade originally committed to USC on August 5th after taking official visits to USC, North Carolina, Ohio State, Rutgers and Maryland in the summer. He held firm until decommitting on December 13th. He visited Maryland unofficially for a basketball game, but ultimately recommitted to USC December 20th. He also had offers from NC State, Indiana, Kentucky, Pitt, Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Florida, Penn State Minnesota and Duke.
10:02 AM: USC signed WR CJ Adams (6-3 210) of Mableton, GA. Adams chose the Gamecocks over Kentucky, Maryland and UAB. He visited the Gamecocks for their spring game in April. He took an official visit to Maryland in June, and he followed that with one to USC. He committed to the Gamecocks after his visit on June 26th. Adams also had offers from Duke, Virginia, Virginia Tech, East Carolina, Louisville, Cincinnati and Purdue.9:39 AM: USC signed DT Elijah Davis (6-4 300) of East Mississippi JC and Wagener-Salley. The signing culminated a long relationship between Davis and the Gamecocks dating back to the Will Muschamp staff. The Gamecocks stayed with him through the junior college process and beat out the likes of Tennessee, Alabama and Florida State, Ole Miss and Auburn. He took an official visit to USC in October and one to Tennessee in November. He committed to the Gamecocks on December 20th and will enroll in January.
9:23 AM: USC signed OT Jatavius Shivers (6-7 270) of Villa Rica, GA. Shivers originally committed to Vanderbilt in June. He decommitted in early July. He named a top five of USC, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Ole Miss. He made unofficial visits to USC in April, May and June and committed on July 31st. He took his official visit to USC September 16th.
8:50 AM: USC signed OT Trovon Baugh (6-4 315) of Atlanta. He made an unofficial visit to USC in March and returned for the spring game in April. He committed on April 28th from a top five of USC, Arkansas, LSU, North Carolina and NC State. He took his official visit to USC June 24th and that was his only official visit.
8:42 AM: USC signed WR Kelton Henderson (5-11 175) of Lehigh Acres, FL. Henderson took his official visit to USC the weekend of June 10th and committed before returning home that Sunday. He picked the Gamecocks over offers from Michigan, Auburn, Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi State, Penn State and Georgia.
7:36 AM: USC signed CB Judge Collier (6-1 190) of Legion Collegiate. He’s the first major recruit to come out of the young program in Rock Hill. Collier made an unofficial visit to USC for a camp on June 10th and performed well in front of secondary coach Torrian Gray. He was offered after that visit and he committed on June 18th. He also had offers from Boston College, Army, Navy and Wofford. He made his official visit to USC on November 18th.
7:35 AM: USC signed RB Dontavius Braswell (5-11 200) of Sandersville, GA. He made his official visit to USC on June 10th. He also made June official visits to Nebraska, Louisville and Boston College. Braswell through Gamecock fans off his track by issuing a “final four”: on June 29th that did not include USC. That group was Boston College, Alabama, Nebraska and Oregon. He then committed to the Gamecocks on July 2nd. Some of his other offers were Tennessee, NC State, Pitt, Louisville, Minnesota and Georgia Tech.
7:28 AM: USC signed DT Xzavier McLeod (6-5 324) of Camden. He committed to USC on August 18th and flirted with a few schools, in particular Miami and Florida, until taking his official visit with the Gamecocks on December 16th. In the summer he took official visits to LSU and Michigan. He was named Mr. Football in SC for 2022 after a season of 53 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
7:25 AM: USC signed SAF Cameron Upshaw (6-3 185) of Perry, FL. He took his official visit to USC on June 30th and he committed on June 12th. He then decommitted briefly on July 31st but recommitted the same day and stuck to it. He picked the Gamecocks over Florida State, Maryland, Arkansas and Nebraska. He also had offers from Louisville, West Virginia, Iowa, Mississippi State, Virginia and Michigan State.
7:18 AM: USC signed LB Grayson Howard (6-3 223) of Jacksonville. He took his official visit to USC on June 24th and committed on June 27th. He also made official visits to Florida and Georgia. Howard estimated at the time of his commitment that he had visited USC nine times. The Gamecocks built the early lead for him and no one else ever challenged. He has already joined the team for bowl practices.
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