South Carolina football: Projecting the Gamecocks’ 2017 recruiting class
Nov. 03, 2016
With Signing Day just over three months away, South Carolina’s 2017 class stands at 21 commitments.
SEC Country takes a look at that group and who else could end up with the Gamecocks on the first Wednesday in February:
Quarterbacks
Plans for the position changed when Jake Bentley, who’s now the starting quarterback, announced that he would reclassify from 2017 to 2016.
Attention then turned to Jay Urich, the No. 23-ranked dual-threat quarterback. The 3-star recruit from Wren High School in Piedmont, S.C., committed in late May. On Tuesday, he was offered by Tennessee.
Urich, who’s filled out to 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, is expected to be the only scholarship quarterback taken by the Gamecocks.
Through nine games this season, he’s completed 156-of-270 passes for 1,691 yards with 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Urich has also rushed for 846 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Running backs
Three-star running back Kyshaun Bryan committed while on campus for a visit in April, making him South Carolina’s first running back take for the 2017 haul.
Pursuit of a second running back came to a close when North Carolina transfer Ty’Son Williams joined the program as a walk-on.
Through eight games this season, Bryan has rushed 60 times for 406 yards and 6 touchdowns for St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
OrTre Smith, the No. 128-ranked prospect in the country, is the top-rated offensive player committed to the Gamecocks.
Wide receivers
South Carolina’s wide receiver commitment count currently sits at two: OrTre Smith and Shi Smith. The group was holding steady at three before the Gamecocks coaches parted ways with Shawn Smith.
Shi, a 4-star prospect from Union County (S.C.) High School, committed during the summer.
OrTre, a 4-star recruit from Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C., made his announcement the day after the Mississippi State game. He’s planning to enroll in January.
Three-star prospect Chad Terrell appears to be the lone wide receiver target still left on the Gamecocks’ board. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect hasn’t taken any visits since his September official to Oregon. N.C. State has also been mentioned as a potential landing spot.
Most folks in the industry believe South Carolina holds the cards for Terrell, who attends North Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga.
At last check, former commitment Stephen Guidry hadn’t heard from South Carolina since his de-commitment. The JUCO prospect recently de-committed from LSU.
Tight ends
Last summer, Will Register committed to Steve Spurrier, not long after picking up offers from South Carolina and Clemson.
Even with a sudden retirement by Robert Tucker, there’s a surplus of bodies at the position. Register, a 3-star recruit from Chapin (S.C.) High School, is expected to be the lone tight end signing with this haul.
Eric Douglas is ranked as the No. 78 offensive tackle in the Class of 2017.
Offensive line
The class took a sizable hit when 4-star prospect T.J. Moore pulled the plug on his pledge and de-committed from South Carolina last month. Three-star commitments were left behind: Summie Carlay, Dennis Daley and Eric Douglas.
Carlay, the No. 122-ranked offensive tackle who’s from Laurens (S.C.) High School, is one of a handful of commitments in the Gamecocks’ class who is scheduled to enroll in January.
Daley, a junior college placement at Georgia Military College, took his official visit to South Carolina last month. He hopes to be on campus for good in January. If not, he should be ready to roll in June.
Douglas, a teammate of Moore’s at Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, N.C., was surprised when they joined forces in the summer. With that in mind, there are a number of other options as the offensive line haul continues to fill out.
Three-star prospects Jerry Drake Jr. and K’Rojhn Calbert have already taken official visits to South Carolina.
Drake, the No. 70-ranked offensive tackle in the country, has taken official visits to South Carolina and Tennessee.
Calbert, the No. 73-ranked offensive tackle in the country, has made multiple visits to Tennessee and South Carolina this fall and he’s planned unofficials to a few other SEC programs.
Over the weekend, Tony Gray emerged as another potential option. The 4-star recruit from Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., took an unofficial visit for the 24-21 win over Tennessee.
Aaron Sterling was once committed to Alabama.
Defensive line
Three defensive linemen are committed to enroll in 2017, even though 247Sports doesn’t list Javon Kinlaw, who was placed at Jones County Junior College in Mississippi earlier this year. A product of Goose Creek (S.C.) High School, Kinlaw is on an accelerated JUCO track before he arrives in Columbia as a tackle.
Three-star end Tyreek Johnson is from Lakewood High School in Sumter, S.C. There’s also 4-star talent M.J. Webb, who will probably be utilized at a couple of different positions along the line. He’s from Morgan County High School in Madison, Ga.
A handful of targets are being considered for one, maybe two more spots: Matthew Butler(Garner, N.C.), Romello Martin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Aaron Sterling (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Tyrone Truesdell (Augusta, Ga.).
Butler, Sterling and Truesdell have all unofficially visited South Carolina this fall for games.
Former commitment Devonte Wyatt, who flipped to Georgia, said South Carolina’s coaches are still in contact. From this perspective, it’s hard to imagine he’ll change allegiances back to the Gamecocks.
Linebackers
Four 3-star linebackers are currently committed: Davonne Bowen, Sherrod Greene, Damani Staley and Eldridge Thompson.
Bowen, a defensive end at Woodmont High School in Piedmont, S.C., has the athleticism and strength to play any of the linebacker positions at South Carolina. He’s ranked as the No. 56 outside linebacker.
Greene, who’s from Rocky Mount (N.C.) High School, is the Gamecocks’ top-rated linebacker at No. 495 overall.
Staley, the son of former running back Duce Staley, is out of nearby Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C. The younger Staley is listed as the 75th-best outside linebacker.
Thompson, a JUCO prospect at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, is set to arrive in January. He’ll take his official visit this weekend. Among junior college prospects, he’s the No. 3 outside linebacker.
Pendleton (S.C.) High School 3-star prospect Brad Johnson profiles as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, which means he would probably end up at South Carolina’s “Buck” position. It’s long been believed that the Gamecocks have the upper hand over Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others.
Jaylin Dickerson is one of several defensive backs committed to sign with South Carolina in February.
Secondary
Zay Brown, Jaylin Dickerson, Tavyn Jackson, Damari Mathis, Hamsah Nasirildeen and Jamyest Williams comprise the secondary commitments.
Three of the 3-star recruits — Dickerson, Jackson and Mathis — committed within a 24-hour window. That weekend’s count would have been four had South Carolina’s coaches accepted a commitment from Tancey Richardson.
Dickerson, the No. 72 ranked safety, is from Pinecrest High School in southern Pines, N.C. Jackson, the No. 79 ranked cornerback, attends James Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Fla. Mathis, who’s from Lakeland (Fla.) High School, is ranked as the No. 190 cornerback.
Brown, a 3-star prospect from Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga., made his commitment official at the cookout in July.
Rated as a 4-star outside linebacker, Hamsah Nasirildeen pulled the trigger on his pledge in mid-August. Eleven days later, 4-star cornerback Jamyest Williams followed suit.
Nasirildeen, however, recently took an official visit to Florida State. The Noles are worth monitoring since his lead recruiter, Jay Graham, also is from Concord (N.C.) High School. For Williams, who’s out of Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., Georgia is among the biggest threats.
It would seem that South Carolina is intent on adding another player who profiles at the safety and nickel positions.
Naytron Culpepper, a 3-star recruit from Miami, Fla., has already taken an official visit. Four-star prospect Deangelo Gibbs, Williams’ teammate at Grayson, traveled with his teammate to South Carolina’s game against Tennessee on Saturday.
Michigan State is a factor for Culpepper. Most have Gibbs pegged as a future Georgia commitment.
South Carolina recently offered Keisean Nixon, a 3-star JUCO cornerback from Arizona Western. Arkansas, Boise State and Missouri are also involved.
Nov. 03, 2016
With Signing Day just over three months away, South Carolina’s 2017 class stands at 21 commitments.
SEC Country takes a look at that group and who else could end up with the Gamecocks on the first Wednesday in February:
Quarterbacks
Plans for the position changed when Jake Bentley, who’s now the starting quarterback, announced that he would reclassify from 2017 to 2016.
Attention then turned to Jay Urich, the No. 23-ranked dual-threat quarterback. The 3-star recruit from Wren High School in Piedmont, S.C., committed in late May. On Tuesday, he was offered by Tennessee.
Urich, who’s filled out to 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, is expected to be the only scholarship quarterback taken by the Gamecocks.
Through nine games this season, he’s completed 156-of-270 passes for 1,691 yards with 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Urich has also rushed for 846 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Running backs
Three-star running back Kyshaun Bryan committed while on campus for a visit in April, making him South Carolina’s first running back take for the 2017 haul.
Pursuit of a second running back came to a close when North Carolina transfer Ty’Son Williams joined the program as a walk-on.
Through eight games this season, Bryan has rushed 60 times for 406 yards and 6 touchdowns for St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
OrTre Smith, the No. 128-ranked prospect in the country, is the top-rated offensive player committed to the Gamecocks.
Wide receivers
South Carolina’s wide receiver commitment count currently sits at two: OrTre Smith and Shi Smith. The group was holding steady at three before the Gamecocks coaches parted ways with Shawn Smith.
Shi, a 4-star prospect from Union County (S.C.) High School, committed during the summer.
OrTre, a 4-star recruit from Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C., made his announcement the day after the Mississippi State game. He’s planning to enroll in January.
Three-star prospect Chad Terrell appears to be the lone wide receiver target still left on the Gamecocks’ board. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect hasn’t taken any visits since his September official to Oregon. N.C. State has also been mentioned as a potential landing spot.
Most folks in the industry believe South Carolina holds the cards for Terrell, who attends North Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga.
At last check, former commitment Stephen Guidry hadn’t heard from South Carolina since his de-commitment. The JUCO prospect recently de-committed from LSU.
Tight ends
Last summer, Will Register committed to Steve Spurrier, not long after picking up offers from South Carolina and Clemson.
Even with a sudden retirement by Robert Tucker, there’s a surplus of bodies at the position. Register, a 3-star recruit from Chapin (S.C.) High School, is expected to be the lone tight end signing with this haul.
Eric Douglas is ranked as the No. 78 offensive tackle in the Class of 2017.
Offensive line
The class took a sizable hit when 4-star prospect T.J. Moore pulled the plug on his pledge and de-committed from South Carolina last month. Three-star commitments were left behind: Summie Carlay, Dennis Daley and Eric Douglas.
Carlay, the No. 122-ranked offensive tackle who’s from Laurens (S.C.) High School, is one of a handful of commitments in the Gamecocks’ class who is scheduled to enroll in January.
Daley, a junior college placement at Georgia Military College, took his official visit to South Carolina last month. He hopes to be on campus for good in January. If not, he should be ready to roll in June.
Douglas, a teammate of Moore’s at Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, N.C., was surprised when they joined forces in the summer. With that in mind, there are a number of other options as the offensive line haul continues to fill out.
Three-star prospects Jerry Drake Jr. and K’Rojhn Calbert have already taken official visits to South Carolina.
Drake, the No. 70-ranked offensive tackle in the country, has taken official visits to South Carolina and Tennessee.
Calbert, the No. 73-ranked offensive tackle in the country, has made multiple visits to Tennessee and South Carolina this fall and he’s planned unofficials to a few other SEC programs.
Over the weekend, Tony Gray emerged as another potential option. The 4-star recruit from Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., took an unofficial visit for the 24-21 win over Tennessee.
Aaron Sterling was once committed to Alabama.
Defensive line
Three defensive linemen are committed to enroll in 2017, even though 247Sports doesn’t list Javon Kinlaw, who was placed at Jones County Junior College in Mississippi earlier this year. A product of Goose Creek (S.C.) High School, Kinlaw is on an accelerated JUCO track before he arrives in Columbia as a tackle.
Three-star end Tyreek Johnson is from Lakewood High School in Sumter, S.C. There’s also 4-star talent M.J. Webb, who will probably be utilized at a couple of different positions along the line. He’s from Morgan County High School in Madison, Ga.
A handful of targets are being considered for one, maybe two more spots: Matthew Butler(Garner, N.C.), Romello Martin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Aaron Sterling (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Tyrone Truesdell (Augusta, Ga.).
Butler, Sterling and Truesdell have all unofficially visited South Carolina this fall for games.
Former commitment Devonte Wyatt, who flipped to Georgia, said South Carolina’s coaches are still in contact. From this perspective, it’s hard to imagine he’ll change allegiances back to the Gamecocks.
Linebackers
Four 3-star linebackers are currently committed: Davonne Bowen, Sherrod Greene, Damani Staley and Eldridge Thompson.
Bowen, a defensive end at Woodmont High School in Piedmont, S.C., has the athleticism and strength to play any of the linebacker positions at South Carolina. He’s ranked as the No. 56 outside linebacker.
Greene, who’s from Rocky Mount (N.C.) High School, is the Gamecocks’ top-rated linebacker at No. 495 overall.
Staley, the son of former running back Duce Staley, is out of nearby Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C. The younger Staley is listed as the 75th-best outside linebacker.
Thompson, a JUCO prospect at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, is set to arrive in January. He’ll take his official visit this weekend. Among junior college prospects, he’s the No. 3 outside linebacker.
Pendleton (S.C.) High School 3-star prospect Brad Johnson profiles as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, which means he would probably end up at South Carolina’s “Buck” position. It’s long been believed that the Gamecocks have the upper hand over Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others.
Jaylin Dickerson is one of several defensive backs committed to sign with South Carolina in February.
Secondary
Zay Brown, Jaylin Dickerson, Tavyn Jackson, Damari Mathis, Hamsah Nasirildeen and Jamyest Williams comprise the secondary commitments.
Three of the 3-star recruits — Dickerson, Jackson and Mathis — committed within a 24-hour window. That weekend’s count would have been four had South Carolina’s coaches accepted a commitment from Tancey Richardson.
Dickerson, the No. 72 ranked safety, is from Pinecrest High School in southern Pines, N.C. Jackson, the No. 79 ranked cornerback, attends James Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Fla. Mathis, who’s from Lakeland (Fla.) High School, is ranked as the No. 190 cornerback.
Brown, a 3-star prospect from Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga., made his commitment official at the cookout in July.
Rated as a 4-star outside linebacker, Hamsah Nasirildeen pulled the trigger on his pledge in mid-August. Eleven days later, 4-star cornerback Jamyest Williams followed suit.
Nasirildeen, however, recently took an official visit to Florida State. The Noles are worth monitoring since his lead recruiter, Jay Graham, also is from Concord (N.C.) High School. For Williams, who’s out of Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga., Georgia is among the biggest threats.
It would seem that South Carolina is intent on adding another player who profiles at the safety and nickel positions.
Naytron Culpepper, a 3-star recruit from Miami, Fla., has already taken an official visit. Four-star prospect Deangelo Gibbs, Williams’ teammate at Grayson, traveled with his teammate to South Carolina’s game against Tennessee on Saturday.
Michigan State is a factor for Culpepper. Most have Gibbs pegged as a future Georgia commitment.
South Carolina recently offered Keisean Nixon, a 3-star JUCO cornerback from Arizona Western. Arkansas, Boise State and Missouri are also involved.
Last edited by a moderator: