Recruiting class breakdown: South Carolina stars, sleepers and more
December 20, 2018
South Carolina on Wednesday signed the bulk of its 2019 recruiting class, inking 18 new players. Eleven from Will Muschamp’s fourth class are set to enroll early.
Stars
Five-star defensive lineman Zacch Pickens – He’s the man with all the hype and talent. At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds he’s either big enough to be a massive defensive end or a quick defensive tackle. He led his high school team in tackles, despite double and triple teams and often not playing late into games, and was still quick enough to become an 800-yard runner with 20-plus touchdowns.
Four-star quarterback Ryan Hilinski – Long one of the jewels of the class, he’s the highest-rated pro-style passer in the country in some corners and among the top quarterbacks. After throwing for more the 3,700 yards as a junior, he worked through adversity as a senior, leading a team devastated by injuries through a schedule with multiple games against top-10 national teams. He’ll likely sit next season behind Jake Bentley and start competing for the spot in 2020.
Four-star defensive end Joseph Anderson – He missed a chunk of season with an elbow injury, and after that quietly anchored a beastly defense. Not only did his Oakland High School squad hold opponents to fewer than 10 points per game, but in a meeting with a Whitehaven team that featured Gamecocks receiver commit Keveon Mullins, his team allowed a scant 81 yards and three first down. He had 60 tackles, 16 for loss, three sacks, seven QB hurries, one forced fumble and one pass break up.
Sleepers
Tight end Traevon Kenion – He somehow slipped to three stars despite a dynamic senior season that saw him expand his role. At 242 pounds, he went from a pure tight end as a junior to a wide receiver at powerhouse Wake Forest. All he did there was catch 43 passes for 834 yards and posted 17 total scores.
Offensive lineman Jaylen Nichols – A big kid at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, he played both sides of the ball in high school. Was the right tackle for a high-powered offense and has a high physical ceiling. A gentle giant off the field, he should be a player offensive line coach Eric Wolford can mold.
Linebacker Derek Boykins – South Carolina needs more playmaking at the linebacker spot, and he could have the versatility to play at a range of spots. At 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, he’s shown the ability to rush the passer a little, play in coverage a bit and could find a place to chip in here or there.
Numbers
75 percent: Kenion’s high school team passed for 20 scores. He had three-fourths of them. He also accounted for more than 55 percent of the passing yards for a squad that went undefeated and finished ranked as North Carolina’s top team by MaxPreps.
Two: That’s how many defensive backs and wide receivers South Carolina got in its initial haul. Expect those numbers to increase for both before the class is fully wrapped up.
Sixth: Gamecocks running back signee Kevin Harris ranked sixth in the state of Georgia with 1,556 yards. He also had 22 touchdowns and eight 100-yard games.
Where they’re from:
South Carolina: 4
Florida: 4
Georgia: 3
North Carolina: 3
Tennessee: 2
Virginia: 1
California: 1
December 20, 2018
South Carolina on Wednesday signed the bulk of its 2019 recruiting class, inking 18 new players. Eleven from Will Muschamp’s fourth class are set to enroll early.
Stars
Five-star defensive lineman Zacch Pickens – He’s the man with all the hype and talent. At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds he’s either big enough to be a massive defensive end or a quick defensive tackle. He led his high school team in tackles, despite double and triple teams and often not playing late into games, and was still quick enough to become an 800-yard runner with 20-plus touchdowns.
Four-star quarterback Ryan Hilinski – Long one of the jewels of the class, he’s the highest-rated pro-style passer in the country in some corners and among the top quarterbacks. After throwing for more the 3,700 yards as a junior, he worked through adversity as a senior, leading a team devastated by injuries through a schedule with multiple games against top-10 national teams. He’ll likely sit next season behind Jake Bentley and start competing for the spot in 2020.
Four-star defensive end Joseph Anderson – He missed a chunk of season with an elbow injury, and after that quietly anchored a beastly defense. Not only did his Oakland High School squad hold opponents to fewer than 10 points per game, but in a meeting with a Whitehaven team that featured Gamecocks receiver commit Keveon Mullins, his team allowed a scant 81 yards and three first down. He had 60 tackles, 16 for loss, three sacks, seven QB hurries, one forced fumble and one pass break up.
Sleepers
Tight end Traevon Kenion – He somehow slipped to three stars despite a dynamic senior season that saw him expand his role. At 242 pounds, he went from a pure tight end as a junior to a wide receiver at powerhouse Wake Forest. All he did there was catch 43 passes for 834 yards and posted 17 total scores.
Offensive lineman Jaylen Nichols – A big kid at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, he played both sides of the ball in high school. Was the right tackle for a high-powered offense and has a high physical ceiling. A gentle giant off the field, he should be a player offensive line coach Eric Wolford can mold.
Linebacker Derek Boykins – South Carolina needs more playmaking at the linebacker spot, and he could have the versatility to play at a range of spots. At 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, he’s shown the ability to rush the passer a little, play in coverage a bit and could find a place to chip in here or there.
Numbers
75 percent: Kenion’s high school team passed for 20 scores. He had three-fourths of them. He also accounted for more than 55 percent of the passing yards for a squad that went undefeated and finished ranked as North Carolina’s top team by MaxPreps.
Two: That’s how many defensive backs and wide receivers South Carolina got in its initial haul. Expect those numbers to increase for both before the class is fully wrapped up.
Sixth: Gamecocks running back signee Kevin Harris ranked sixth in the state of Georgia with 1,556 yards. He also had 22 touchdowns and eight 100-yard games.
Where they’re from:
South Carolina: 4
Florida: 4
Georgia: 3
North Carolina: 3
Tennessee: 2
Virginia: 1
California: 1
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