SpursUp Surveillance: Skinny on the Gamecocks top sophomore recruits
August 04, 2016
The Top 100 for 2019
247Sports released its initial rankings for the class of 2019 and several prospects with an offer from South Carolina made the list.
None of the prospects on 247’s list are classified as 5-stars. All were listed as 4-stars.
8-DE Zacch Pickens – T.L. Hanna High School (Anderson, S.C.)
Skinny: South Carolina has already offered and hosted Pickens for visits, including last month’s cookout. Florida State was first to offer. In fact, the Seminoles pulled the trigger before their game at Clemson last fall, while Pickens was standing on the sidelines.
11-WR Dominick Blaylock – Walton High School (Marietta, Ga.)
Skinny: Former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier extended an offer to Blaylock in the spring of 2015, while he was still in the eighth grade. Blaylock visited again in the fall for a game. He was back on campus earlier this summer for a 7-on-7.
12-RB Devyn Ford – North Stafford High School (Stafford, Va.)
Skinny: Ford visited South Carolina earlier this summer with his teammate, 2018 DT Nana Asiedu. The Gamecocks have offered both.
25-OL Warren McClendon – Brunswick High School (Brunswick, Ga.)
Skinny: South Carolina hosted McClendon for a visit in the spring. He plans to return in the fall for a game. He’s kin to Gamecocks wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon.
41-OLB Mikel Jones – Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah, Fla.)
Skinny: Though Jones wasn’t offered after his two camp sessions at South Carolina, he’ll continue to be tracked by Muschamp’s staff.
Zacch Pickens lives about 20 minutes from Clemson, but he’s not a lock for the Tigers. (Hale McGranahan/SEC Country)49-WR Jamario Holley, Northwestern High School (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Skinny: South Carolina, Florida State and Kentucky have offered Holley, who was very productive for as a freshman at Northwestern: 70 catches, 946 yards and 11 touchdowns.
63-RB Jonathan Sewell – Clarke Central High School (Athens, Ga.)
Skinny: Sewell picked up his offer from South Carolina on the same day as his teammate, 2017 S Zay Brown, who committed to the Gamecocks in July.
64-Jonathan Kingsley – Eastern Alamance High School (Mebane, N.C.)
Skinny: South Carolina offered Kingsley in the spring, within the first few days of the evaluation period.
85-WR Jacoby Pinckney – Dorman High School (Roebuck, S.C.)
Skinny: The Gamecocks were first to offer in June, after Pinckney put in a strong performance at Muschamp Camp. He was back on campus in July for the cookout.
Word from OrTre Smith’s camp
Ramon Robinson of Elite Position Training has been alongside 4-star OrTre Smith for several of his visits this summer, one of which was to South Carolina. On Wednesday, Phil Kornblut shared details of a conversation he recently had with Robinson.
“The biggest thing with (Smith) is that relationship with that coaching staff and the head coach of that school,” Robinson said. “He’s going thru that process to see who is going to make him better and who can he contribute to, whether it’s now or later. The big thing with him is relationships.”
The wide receiver from Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C. continues to his options, which include South Carolina, Clemson, Florida and Georgia.
“I think he has a feeling,” Robinson said. “He goes off of feeling. He has felt his way thru the process of the schools and what he feels comfortable with and what he doesn’t feel comfortable with. I know South Carolina is one he’s established a relationship with. He’s established a relationship with coach Tony Elliott at Clemson. Now, it’s just a matter of who.”
Smith is planning to make his commitment on his birthday, Sept. 11.
Skinny: South Carolina has recruited Smith with much more consistency than Clemson. The Tigers recently informed Smith he’s a priority, something the Gamecocks have been telling him since day one under Muschamp. That’s definitely working in their favor.
Marshall sets date for Aug. 15
Three-star WR Justin Marshall (Newton High School in Conyers, Ga.) announced his commitment date on Wednesday morning. The No. 61 ranked wide receiver in the class of 2017 tweeted that South Carolina was among the nine finalists.
South Carolina hosted Marshall for two visits this summer, but he recently told Phil Kornblut that the Gamecocks haven’t been showing much interest of late.
Louisville could be in line to land Marshall’s commitment, though Georgia did sent out an official offer earlier this month.
Skinny: Marshall has taken three visits to South Carolina since the spring, so certainly was some early interest. But the Gamecocks are coming down to the wire on Smith, and they’ve already got two 2017 commitments at the position. Plus, there’s only one scholarship wide receiver on the roster who isn’t a freshman or sophomore. They could be running out of room.
SECCOUNTRY
August 04, 2016
The Top 100 for 2019
247Sports released its initial rankings for the class of 2019 and several prospects with an offer from South Carolina made the list.
None of the prospects on 247’s list are classified as 5-stars. All were listed as 4-stars.
8-DE Zacch Pickens – T.L. Hanna High School (Anderson, S.C.)
Skinny: South Carolina has already offered and hosted Pickens for visits, including last month’s cookout. Florida State was first to offer. In fact, the Seminoles pulled the trigger before their game at Clemson last fall, while Pickens was standing on the sidelines.
11-WR Dominick Blaylock – Walton High School (Marietta, Ga.)
Skinny: Former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier extended an offer to Blaylock in the spring of 2015, while he was still in the eighth grade. Blaylock visited again in the fall for a game. He was back on campus earlier this summer for a 7-on-7.
12-RB Devyn Ford – North Stafford High School (Stafford, Va.)
Skinny: Ford visited South Carolina earlier this summer with his teammate, 2018 DT Nana Asiedu. The Gamecocks have offered both.
25-OL Warren McClendon – Brunswick High School (Brunswick, Ga.)
Skinny: South Carolina hosted McClendon for a visit in the spring. He plans to return in the fall for a game. He’s kin to Gamecocks wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon.
41-OLB Mikel Jones – Champagnat Catholic (Hialeah, Fla.)
Skinny: Though Jones wasn’t offered after his two camp sessions at South Carolina, he’ll continue to be tracked by Muschamp’s staff.
Skinny: South Carolina, Florida State and Kentucky have offered Holley, who was very productive for as a freshman at Northwestern: 70 catches, 946 yards and 11 touchdowns.
63-RB Jonathan Sewell – Clarke Central High School (Athens, Ga.)
Skinny: Sewell picked up his offer from South Carolina on the same day as his teammate, 2017 S Zay Brown, who committed to the Gamecocks in July.
64-Jonathan Kingsley – Eastern Alamance High School (Mebane, N.C.)
Skinny: South Carolina offered Kingsley in the spring, within the first few days of the evaluation period.
85-WR Jacoby Pinckney – Dorman High School (Roebuck, S.C.)
Skinny: The Gamecocks were first to offer in June, after Pinckney put in a strong performance at Muschamp Camp. He was back on campus in July for the cookout.
Word from OrTre Smith’s camp
Ramon Robinson of Elite Position Training has been alongside 4-star OrTre Smith for several of his visits this summer, one of which was to South Carolina. On Wednesday, Phil Kornblut shared details of a conversation he recently had with Robinson.
“The biggest thing with (Smith) is that relationship with that coaching staff and the head coach of that school,” Robinson said. “He’s going thru that process to see who is going to make him better and who can he contribute to, whether it’s now or later. The big thing with him is relationships.”
The wide receiver from Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C. continues to his options, which include South Carolina, Clemson, Florida and Georgia.
“I think he has a feeling,” Robinson said. “He goes off of feeling. He has felt his way thru the process of the schools and what he feels comfortable with and what he doesn’t feel comfortable with. I know South Carolina is one he’s established a relationship with. He’s established a relationship with coach Tony Elliott at Clemson. Now, it’s just a matter of who.”
Smith is planning to make his commitment on his birthday, Sept. 11.
Skinny: South Carolina has recruited Smith with much more consistency than Clemson. The Tigers recently informed Smith he’s a priority, something the Gamecocks have been telling him since day one under Muschamp. That’s definitely working in their favor.
Marshall sets date for Aug. 15
Three-star WR Justin Marshall (Newton High School in Conyers, Ga.) announced his commitment date on Wednesday morning. The No. 61 ranked wide receiver in the class of 2017 tweeted that South Carolina was among the nine finalists.
South Carolina hosted Marshall for two visits this summer, but he recently told Phil Kornblut that the Gamecocks haven’t been showing much interest of late.
Louisville could be in line to land Marshall’s commitment, though Georgia did sent out an official offer earlier this month.
Skinny: Marshall has taken three visits to South Carolina since the spring, so certainly was some early interest. But the Gamecocks are coming down to the wire on Smith, and they’ve already got two 2017 commitments at the position. Plus, there’s only one scholarship wide receiver on the roster who isn’t a freshman or sophomore. They could be running out of room.
SECCOUNTRY