#STRecruiting: USC QB commitment McIlwain could be looking at big baseball dollars next summer
July 25, 2015 by
Phil Kornblut Leave a Comment
Brandon McIlwain
Other colleges need not bother USC quarterback commitment Brandon McIlwain of Newtown, PA. Since picking the Gamecocks on New Year’s Eve over Penn State, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Duke, Florida and Cal, he has been 100% locked on playing college football for Steve Spurrier and company. So, a decommitment is something Gamecock fans don’t have to worry about.
But McIlwain also is a special baseball talent who plays outfield, third base and is a righthanded pitcher. PerfectGame.com described McIlwain as ‘just an incredible athlete. Huge power potential, very fast. Hard game contact at PG National.”
McIlwain was at USC’s camp Saturday but Sunday he will be back on the diamond in Tampa for a national tournament. His plan has not changed at this point and that is to enroll at USC in January and compete for playing time at quarterback in 2016. He also plans to join the baseball team that spring. But McIlwain did say he is hearing some things from baseball scouts that may give him something to ponder.
“It’s been a really good summer, the first summer that a lot of baseball opportunities have popped up and some scouts have told me that the top two rounds are a possibility,” McIlwain said. “But it’s not something of real interest to me.”
But will that interest change if he is a top two round pick and the big dollars are floated his way? According to Baseball America’s 2015 draft database, OF Eric Jenkins of N0rth Carolina, the second round pick of the Rangers, signed for two million dollars, the highest bonus of the second round. The lowest signing bonus for a second round pick was $650,000.
“It’s an opportunity I definitely have to look at,” McIlwain said. “I’m keeping all my options open. But the opportunity to come to South Carolina and get a degree and play football and baseball here is worth a lot to me, too. I’m pretty confident that I’ll be here playing at South Carolina in the next few years. I’m not worried about the baseball thing coming in and changing anything. I’ll be here.”
McIlwain said he’s had an excellent summer in football as well. He competed in the Elite 11 event in Oregon earlier this month and has worked out a lot with his own high school team in preparation for the season.
“I’ve had a lot of opportunities to throw and get a lot better so it should be a really, really exciting season,” he said. “I think I’ve gotten better in all aspects. I had the chance to stay with my quarterback coach for ten days and train. And going to the Elite 11, I’ve learned so much and gotten better in all aspects of my game.”
Last season McIlwain passed for 2100 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 1100 yards and 20 touchdowns.
