Receiver prospect plans return visit to see Gamecocks for Mississippi State game
SPORTSTALK / September 14, 2023
and Zy’Marion Lang are the two receiver commitments for USC in their 2024 class, and position coach Justin Stepp is looking for more. Last week Stepp had in for an unofficial visit Jaylen Hampton (6-2 190) of Savannah. Hampton committed to Western Kentucky in early August but is very interested in the Gamecocks and hopeful of an offer.“I’ve been talking to South Carolina for about a week before my visit,” Hampton said. “They just hopped on the board, but as of right now I’m committed to Western Kentucky. South Carolina is recruiting me hard right now. I’ll probably attend the Mississippi State game. They’ve just been really good to me, and they’ve been recruiting me hard. Hopefully I can pick up that offer.”
“It would mean a lot because I would be closer to my mom because Western Kentucky is like eight hours,” he said. “I don’t want to be so far from my family. I’m originally from Atlanta, so South Carolina to Atlanta is not that far, and South Carolina to Savannah is not that far.”
Stepp has made no promises to Hampton regarding an offer, but there’s no doubt from their conversations last Saturday there’s interest in taking a close look at him.
“He kept it straight up with me. He was like, you’re a heck of a player and your film was really great,” Hampton said. “He said he was glad to see me back again because I ended up going to South Carolina with my team for a seven on seven. He was glad to see me, and he was like keep putting it on tape, keep doing this and that and we’ll see where everything goes. After the game, he was asking me how I like the game and the environment. The atmosphere at South Carolina was amazing. Before the game, I saw people tailgating and it’s something I want to be a part of. He came up to me after the game and he was like there’s a reason why you are here. As of right now, they have one receiver committed, and he has two or three receivers who are leaving as of right now, so he’ll have to look at everything. He said after my Friday game send him my film, and I feel like probably when I attend the Mississippi State game, they might pull the trigger. He was like keep working and when that time comes the time will come around.”
At the time of his commitment, Hampton also had offers from Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Tulsa, Dartmouth, Penn, Liberty, Western Michigan, Miami of Ohio, Elon, James Madison, Colgate, Princeton, Wofford and East Tennessee.
Last season Hampton caught 48 passes for 712 yards and 10 touchdowns.