CornerstoneColumbia.com
*** If you missed our live updates thread from this past weekend's Carolina Cookout recruiting event, make sure you check it out:
Carolina Cookout updates
*** We noted over the weekend that the staff's positioning with edge target
James Pearce out of Charlotte appears to be strong. For the sake of clarity, we'd say that it's the strongest it's ever been for the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder following the Carolina Cookout.
We haven't heard any sort of timeline for Pearce - who rarely grants media requests - as to when he may ultimately render a choice.
One question that's natural to have stemming from this development is what it could mean for South Carolina's pursuit of four-star
Jaishawn Barham, another edge target for the Gamecocks. The answer is nothing, at least on the Gamecocks' end. The staff hosted Barham for an unofficial visit over the summer and is expected to draw a return for an official visit this season. If Barham decides to leave the DMV region, South Carolina's the program that could pull him away. There's still time left in that race, and we'll be closely tracking it.
There's more, too. It appears that South Carolina is taking an approach of not turning down attainable impact players on the edge. To that end, we are also still closely tracking Florida's
Bryan Thomas Jr.
If the name sounds familiar, it's because he's the son of former New York Jets standout Bryan Thomas. The family was on campus back in June working out at a session of South Carolina's camp, and Thomas Jr. put on a quality performance. Assistant Mike Peterson had invited Thomas Jr. because he wanted to get a good look at him in camp, and evidently walked away impressed with what he saw.
West Virginia, which drew a late June visit from Thomas Jr. as well, is another program to watch here.
*** An interesting domino fell in the 2023 class for the quarterback position that could have some carryover with South Carolina's efforts.
North Carolina secured a pledge from in-state passer
Tad Hudson on Sunday, and the Tar Heels also have an offer out to Georgia's
Dylan Lonergan. South Carolina, of course, has heavily recruited Lonergan and had him on campus last month for camp and a visit. Hudson's listed with a Gamecock offer, but that was one that was from the previous staff in Columbia back in August 2020.
Lonergan has called UNC his "dream school", although we'd issue the typical caution about reading too much into that when it comes to where a prospect will ultimately sign. He actually was in Chapel Hill over the weekend checking out a cookout event.
The Peach State prospect has said he's releasing a top 12 on Wednesday and South Carolina will be in there. It's believed that South Carolina is one of the programs that's established itself as a major factor early with Lonergan. North Carolina was also one of those, so it will be interesting to see how the Hudson news has an effect.
*** We'll publish some returns directly from
Troy Ford later on Monday, but just know that South Carolina is in a favorable spot with this 2023 linebacker out of Georgia.
The weekend's Cookout visit was Ford's second trip to Columbia in as many months, and he was joined once again by his immediate family, to include parents and siblings.
Ford told GamecockCentral.com that he informed the staff during his time on campus that South Carolina was at the top of his list.
*** One Cookout visitor that went the other way was Virginia's
D'Andre Martin, who'd been eyeing making a decision on August 1 (the day after the Cookout) and stuck to that timeline.
Martin was in town in Columbia from Thursday until Saturday and told us his trip was "extraordinary."
There were two factors that, even on Saturday, gave the sense that this one could fall to Virginia Tech - Martin's other finalist. One of those was that there was no firm feel on the South Carolina end for Martin's intentions following that lengthy visit. Another possible sign came when Martin told us that he was releasing a video on Sunday with his pledge. There's obviously production needed there, and that turnaround pointed more to Tech if it was already planned and completed.
Add it up, and it has the appearance of a decision that had already been solidified before the trip to South Carolina, for whatever reason.
There have been other candidates that South Carolina's pursued in the 2022 class to look at pairing with
Jamaal Whyce and
Felix Hixon.
Martin would have taken one of two remaining slots on the interior of the defensive line, so the staff still has a couple at its disposal.
Sumter's
Davin Jackson visited South Carolina back on Wednesday, but as we reported leading up to and after that visit, it was not expected that Jackson would end up at South Carolina. Indeed, he committed to NC State on Sunday night.
The in-state prospect we have been monitoring much more closely when it comes to South Carolina is Fort Dorchester's
Demetrius Watson. Right now, the Lowcountry product is eyeing a choice closer to the end of his football season. South Carolina, having offered back in June after Watson's camp performance, is a major factor. The Gamecock staff appears to like him a good bit.
Delaware's
Tomiwa Durojaiye - a teammate of QB commitment Braden Davis - is slated to announce a decision on August 14 out of a group of finalists including South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia. We have been tracking Durojaiye's recruitment more lightly relative to Martin, Watson, and another candidate we'll mention in the next sentence.
One thing that's certain in all of this is that South Carolina will go the distance for Florida defensive tackle
Jamari Lyons. He won't render a decision until during the season, and is expected to make an official visit to Columbia the weekend of the Kentucky game.
*** Any follow-up questions or something I didn't address that you'd like me to address? Let me know.
*** Today's Insider Report is brought to you by Cornerstone Financial Management. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Good Life Advisors, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Cornerstone Financial Management and Good Life Advisors, LLC are separate entities from LPL Financial.
