Which Gamecocks targets are hearing from 2019 commits?
April 09, 2018
South Carolina recruiting pitch
Over the last couple of weekends, Rodricus Fitten, the longest-tenured commitment in South Carolina’s 2019 class, has taken advantage of his opportunities to recruit a few prospects to join him.
At The Opening’s annual stop by Buford (Ga.) High School in March, Fitten spoke with a number of prospects, including 4-star defensive end Derrick McLendon, who’s from Tucker (Ga.) High School, where 2018 signees Josh Vann and Dylan Wonnum are attending.
Fitten saw a few more at the Garnet and Black spring game, one of whom was another 4-star defensive end from Georgia.
“I’m trying to get Curtis Fann out there, because South Carolina is talking to him also. I’m trying to get him [to commit],” Fitten said.
Fann recently said there’s not too much of a pitch from Fitten, a 3-star defensive end from Washington High School in Atlanta.
“Just saying you have a family at South Carolina,” Fitten said, when asked about his recruiting angle with Fann.
“How they treat me, they’ll treat you like that also. We’re going to be on the same side of the ball, so you’d have a lot of fun up there.”
Fitten, who’s ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 25 weakside defensive end in the country, remains “strong” with his commitment to South Carolina. It helps that he’s already developed a close connection with several players and coaches, including Will Muschamp.
“I talk to [Muschamp] every other day or so,” Fitten said. “He always asks me how I’m doing, I tell him. He always asks how I do at track meets, so it’s good.”
Fitten plans to enroll in January.
Meanwhile, 3-star tackle commitment Jaylen Nichols (Charlotte, N.C.) continues to help recruit Fann, after the two first met last summer during Muschamp Camp.
Favorable impression
South Carolina quarterback commit Ryan Hilinski has been working on 5-star cornerback Chris Steele for the last several days. Really, it pretty much started before Hilinski announced a commitment to the Gamecocks last week.
The two 2019 prospects have played against one another several times, both in 7-on-7 and high school. And they’re friends, even though Steele has registered a couple of interceptions in 7-on-7.
Over the weekend, Rivals’ Adam Gorney wrote that Steele has “developed a great relationship” with South Carolina defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson. The Gamecocks, of course, hosted Steele for a visit earlier this spring.
Gorney believes South Carolina has a “real shot” at adding Steele to the class.
Another California target
One more name has emerged as a target for Hilinski, after he committed to South Carolina. Four-star wide receiver Kyle Ford, his classmate at Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, was offered by the Gamecocks late last week.
Ford recently told SportsTalkSC’s Phil Kornblut that he’ll listen to Hilinski’s pitch to join him.
“That’s obviously a huge part for me,” Ford said of Hilinski’s decision. “When I go up and visit I want to see what everything is about up there.”
Crystal Ball eval
Since Friday, several notable South Carolina targets from the Class of 2019 have received picks on their 247Sports Crystal Ball. A few were for the Gamecocks.
SpursUp Surveillance’s reactions to the picks:
April 09, 2018
South Carolina recruiting pitch
Over the last couple of weekends, Rodricus Fitten, the longest-tenured commitment in South Carolina’s 2019 class, has taken advantage of his opportunities to recruit a few prospects to join him.
At The Opening’s annual stop by Buford (Ga.) High School in March, Fitten spoke with a number of prospects, including 4-star defensive end Derrick McLendon, who’s from Tucker (Ga.) High School, where 2018 signees Josh Vann and Dylan Wonnum are attending.
Fitten saw a few more at the Garnet and Black spring game, one of whom was another 4-star defensive end from Georgia.
“I’m trying to get Curtis Fann out there, because South Carolina is talking to him also. I’m trying to get him [to commit],” Fitten said.
Fann recently said there’s not too much of a pitch from Fitten, a 3-star defensive end from Washington High School in Atlanta.
“Just saying you have a family at South Carolina,” Fitten said, when asked about his recruiting angle with Fann.
“How they treat me, they’ll treat you like that also. We’re going to be on the same side of the ball, so you’d have a lot of fun up there.”
Fitten, who’s ranked by the 247Sports composite as the No. 25 weakside defensive end in the country, remains “strong” with his commitment to South Carolina. It helps that he’s already developed a close connection with several players and coaches, including Will Muschamp.
“I talk to [Muschamp] every other day or so,” Fitten said. “He always asks me how I’m doing, I tell him. He always asks how I do at track meets, so it’s good.”
Fitten plans to enroll in January.
Meanwhile, 3-star tackle commitment Jaylen Nichols (Charlotte, N.C.) continues to help recruit Fann, after the two first met last summer during Muschamp Camp.
Favorable impression
South Carolina quarterback commit Ryan Hilinski has been working on 5-star cornerback Chris Steele for the last several days. Really, it pretty much started before Hilinski announced a commitment to the Gamecocks last week.
The two 2019 prospects have played against one another several times, both in 7-on-7 and high school. And they’re friends, even though Steele has registered a couple of interceptions in 7-on-7.
Over the weekend, Rivals’ Adam Gorney wrote that Steele has “developed a great relationship” with South Carolina defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson. The Gamecocks, of course, hosted Steele for a visit earlier this spring.
Gorney believes South Carolina has a “real shot” at adding Steele to the class.
Another California target
One more name has emerged as a target for Hilinski, after he committed to South Carolina. Four-star wide receiver Kyle Ford, his classmate at Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, was offered by the Gamecocks late last week.
Ford recently told SportsTalkSC’s Phil Kornblut that he’ll listen to Hilinski’s pitch to join him.
“That’s obviously a huge part for me,” Ford said of Hilinski’s decision. “When I go up and visit I want to see what everything is about up there.”
Crystal Ball eval
Since Friday, several notable South Carolina targets from the Class of 2019 have received picks on their 247Sports Crystal Ball. A few were for the Gamecocks.
SpursUp Surveillance’s reactions to the picks:
- 4-star tackle Warren McClendon (Brunswick, Ga.) South Carolina: The latest pick gives South Carolina three selections for McClendon, whose cousin, Bryan McClendon, is now the offensive coordinator. There’s plenty of stiff competition, such as Alabama, Clemson and Georgia, but plenty of reason to believe McClendon winds up in Columbia.
- 4-star defensive end Curtis Fann (Twin City, Ga.) South Carolina: It seems like only a matter of time before he commits, but Fann has been pretty consistent in trying to avoid releasing details of who leads.
- 3-star linebacker Tyron Hopper (Roswell, Ga.) Florida: Fresh off his visit to Gainesville, which he took during spring break last week, Florida has become the trendy pick.
- 4-star wide receiver Jaylin Simpson (Savannah, Ga.) Auburn: Simpson and his teammate, 4-star athlete Jashawn Sheffield, began adding picks for Auburn after they were on the Plains late last month. The perception, from the start, was that Florida State was the favorite, so don’t sleep on the Seminoles.
- 4-star quarterback Sam Howell (Monroe, N.C.) Florida State: If you’ve been following along, you’d know that South Carolina hasn’t been involved since Dan Werner was hired to coach quarterbacks. Plus, with Hilinski on board, there’s not going to be much, if any, more time devoted to tracking 2019 quarterbacks. However, Clemson was once believed to be the favorite, at least by those in the know in Tigertown.