What happened between Gamecocks and one-time target OT Keyshawn Blackstock? NIL happened!
SPORTSTALK / December 16, 2022USC offered OG Keyshawn Blackstock (6-5 315) of Coffeyville JC, KS and Covington, GA on November 2nd and immediately became a major player for a player regarded by some as the top interior offensive lineman available in junior college this recruiting season. Blackstock included the Gamecocks in his top 12 and took an official visit the weekend of November 16th.
After the visit, Blackstock spoke highly of Shane Beamer and offensive line coaches Greg Adkins and Lonnie Teasley. He said relationships with the coaches was a big part of his decision. But the Gamecocks did not make his top five which he released earlier this week. He settled on Oregon, Southern Cal, Michigan State, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
NIL opportunities are important to Blackstock in the recruiting process, and according to his father, what USC showed him in that area did not match up with the competition.
“He’s not necessarily all about money. He’s not one of those kids,” Keith Blackstock said earlier in the week before his son released his to five. “You’ve got all these schools offering all these opportunities, and you’ve got South Carolina that’s literally at the bottom of the whole crop when it comes to what they can offer a kid. It kind of sucks, you know. It may be a great school. It ain’t about money, but one injury and you can never play football again. That’s one of the things at South Carolina, they don’t really have opportunities like some of the other schools do. NIL stuff. NIL opportunities.”
Schools have been warned by the NCAA that using NIL as a recruiting tool is forbidden.