The final push before signing day
Jan. 23, 2017
This one stings
While most Gamecocks fans were wringing their hands, worrying about Jamyest Williams and the push from Georgia, Florida State was putting the full-court press on Hamsah Nasirildeen.
There’s not really a good way to spin this one for South Carolina. Losing Nasirildeen to the Seminoles hurts.
Send your thanks to Florida State running backs coach Jay Graham. The former South Carolina assistant never relented in his pursuit of Nasirildeen, a 4-star safety who could have been a versatile piece for Muschamp’s secondary.
The Gamecocks have commitments from several defensive backs who profile at safety, including Zay Brown, Jaylin Dickerson, Keisean Nixon and Williams. But Nasirildeen would have been a nice addition to a defensive backfield that’s in need of a major overhaul, particularly for the long term.
With Nasirildeen’s departure, it will be interesting to see how much of a push South Carolina makes for Naytron Culpepper, a 3-star safety from Miami, Fla., who recently named Maryland as his leader.
Former North Carolina cornerback Mike Hughes could be another potential replacement for Nasirildeen in South Carolina’s 2017 haul.
In terms of priorities, hanging on to Williams is of the utmost importance.
Junior Day at South Carolina
Even though there were only two official visitors at South Carolina this past weekend, the Gamecocks coaches were entertaining a handful of guests, a majority of whom were 2018 prospects.
The 2018 visitors included Virginia Tech commitment Bryce Thompson (ATH — Columbia, S.C.), Dakereon Joyner (QB — North Charleston, S.C.), Jacob Warren (TE — Knoxville, Tenn.), Josh Belk (DT — Richburg, S.C.), B.T. Potter (PK — Rock Hill, S.C.) and Trey Dean (S — Hampton, Ga.).
Offensive tackle commitment Dennis Daley was in town, too. The 2017 prospect from Georgia Military Academy was an unofficial visitor since he used his official in the fall.
Wyatt preferred Carolina official
According to an interview with Phil Kornblut, Georgia defensive line commitment Devonte Wyatt had a better time during his official visit to South Carolina.
“I got more attention from the Gamecocks,” he said.
Wyatt, a former South Carolina commitment, was in Columbia the previous weekend. Georgia hosted him this past weekend.
“We mostly ate and I talked to the coaches, stuff people do on an official visit, nothing special,” Wyatt said. “I talked mostly to coach (Tracy) Rocker and he was saying even though they’ve got a lot of D-tackles, I can be in the starting lineup.”
Looking ahead to the final weekend
South Carolina will wrap up its 2017 recruiting efforts this coming weekend when several recruits are scheduled to be on campus.
Former Alabama commitment Aaron Sterling, a 3-star defensive end from Tucker, Ga., will make his way to South Carolina for his official visit. Over the weekend, he visited Tennessee and Georgia, but the Bulldogs have since been eliminated, though word out of the Peach State is that he wasn’t a take.
Tennessee continues to push for other defensive ends who are higher on the recruiting board. As has been the case for some time now, South Carolina is in good position to land Sterling’s autograph on Feb. 1.
It should be the same result for former commitment Javon Kinlaw, who’s deciding between South Carolina and Southern Cal. He’s set to return for his official visit.
Sterling and Kinlaw will also be joined by 4-star defensive end Robert Beal, a Georgia commitment who was originally scheduled to visit last weekend.
Brown, Williams and 3-star offensive tackle Jordon Carty are also scheduled to take official visits to South Carolina next weekend.
SECCOUNTRY
Jan. 23, 2017
This one stings
While most Gamecocks fans were wringing their hands, worrying about Jamyest Williams and the push from Georgia, Florida State was putting the full-court press on Hamsah Nasirildeen.
There’s not really a good way to spin this one for South Carolina. Losing Nasirildeen to the Seminoles hurts.
Send your thanks to Florida State running backs coach Jay Graham. The former South Carolina assistant never relented in his pursuit of Nasirildeen, a 4-star safety who could have been a versatile piece for Muschamp’s secondary.
The Gamecocks have commitments from several defensive backs who profile at safety, including Zay Brown, Jaylin Dickerson, Keisean Nixon and Williams. But Nasirildeen would have been a nice addition to a defensive backfield that’s in need of a major overhaul, particularly for the long term.
With Nasirildeen’s departure, it will be interesting to see how much of a push South Carolina makes for Naytron Culpepper, a 3-star safety from Miami, Fla., who recently named Maryland as his leader.
Former North Carolina cornerback Mike Hughes could be another potential replacement for Nasirildeen in South Carolina’s 2017 haul.
In terms of priorities, hanging on to Williams is of the utmost importance.
Junior Day at South Carolina
Even though there were only two official visitors at South Carolina this past weekend, the Gamecocks coaches were entertaining a handful of guests, a majority of whom were 2018 prospects.
The 2018 visitors included Virginia Tech commitment Bryce Thompson (ATH — Columbia, S.C.), Dakereon Joyner (QB — North Charleston, S.C.), Jacob Warren (TE — Knoxville, Tenn.), Josh Belk (DT — Richburg, S.C.), B.T. Potter (PK — Rock Hill, S.C.) and Trey Dean (S — Hampton, Ga.).
Offensive tackle commitment Dennis Daley was in town, too. The 2017 prospect from Georgia Military Academy was an unofficial visitor since he used his official in the fall.
Wyatt preferred Carolina official
According to an interview with Phil Kornblut, Georgia defensive line commitment Devonte Wyatt had a better time during his official visit to South Carolina.
“I got more attention from the Gamecocks,” he said.
Wyatt, a former South Carolina commitment, was in Columbia the previous weekend. Georgia hosted him this past weekend.
“We mostly ate and I talked to the coaches, stuff people do on an official visit, nothing special,” Wyatt said. “I talked mostly to coach (Tracy) Rocker and he was saying even though they’ve got a lot of D-tackles, I can be in the starting lineup.”
Looking ahead to the final weekend
South Carolina will wrap up its 2017 recruiting efforts this coming weekend when several recruits are scheduled to be on campus.
Former Alabama commitment Aaron Sterling, a 3-star defensive end from Tucker, Ga., will make his way to South Carolina for his official visit. Over the weekend, he visited Tennessee and Georgia, but the Bulldogs have since been eliminated, though word out of the Peach State is that he wasn’t a take.
Tennessee continues to push for other defensive ends who are higher on the recruiting board. As has been the case for some time now, South Carolina is in good position to land Sterling’s autograph on Feb. 1.
It should be the same result for former commitment Javon Kinlaw, who’s deciding between South Carolina and Southern Cal. He’s set to return for his official visit.
Sterling and Kinlaw will also be joined by 4-star defensive end Robert Beal, a Georgia commitment who was originally scheduled to visit last weekend.
Brown, Williams and 3-star offensive tackle Jordon Carty are also scheduled to take official visits to South Carolina next weekend.
SECCOUNTRY