Perhaps the one prospect that USC’s staff feels is the most undervalued is North Carolina’s Jaylin Dickerson. The offer list for the early enrollee was by no means stunning, with East Carolina, NC State, and Virginia making up the biggest contenders. From everything we heard, USC seems sold on him. Dickerson made his way to a camp session over the summer in Columbi in which he was put through the ringer by Will Muschamp (who coaches the safeties for USC) and Travaris Robinson. Dickerson’s movement ability and competitiveness in attacking the workout really stood out, and the USC staff has remarked to people that it was one of the more impressive camp setting workouts they’ve seen in a while by a safety prospect. Dickerson is already on USC’s campus going through the offseason program, and the staff believes he is going to play as a true freshman in some form or fashion.
Our staff at GamecockCentral.com frequently had questions about in-state safety Tank Robinson, who at several points was ranked significantly higher before landing on a 5.5 three-star status by the end of the process. Our subscribers knew in the summer that we were no longer tracking Robinson’s recruitment as it pertained to South Carolina following camp season. Interesting to note here that Robinson worked out in camp the same day as Dickerson. The Lake Marion product signed with East Carolina yesterday.
After committing to USC over the summer, Union County four-star Shi Smith shut the recruiting process down, eschewing visiting other schools and participating in other programs’ camps. I can tell you that South Carolina is quite happy he made that decision, because he put on a show in Columbia when he worked out in the indoor facility over the summer.
Smith will bring a blend of speed, quickness, and toughness to the receiver position for the Gamecocks. As noted, he worked out multiple days during USC’s camp sessions over the summer and was excellent, with no defensive back there able to cover him in space. One day, perhaps to give himself a challenge, Smith lined up for one rep at the cornerback position. He backpedaled, had great technique, and drove to the ball to break up an out route. A USC coach watching Smith looked over at Will Muschamp, who despite talking on the phone at the time was keeping a close eye on Smith. He gave a smile and a nod of approval. Still, here’s betting that wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon won’t give him up to the defensive guys anytime soon.
One of the wildest recruitments from the 2017 cycle actually featured a prospect that was once on USC’s commitment list. An early wide receiver pledge to the Gamecocks, junior college wide receiver Stephen Guidry’s recruitment blew up in terms of offers after he verbally committed to Carolina last spring, and USC knew it would be in for a battle to keep him in the fold. In April, Guidry backed off his pledge with LSU firmly in the driver’s seat for the Louisiana native. Guidry said USC would always be in his top five, but was not upon his next release. Things twisted and turned with Guidry multiple times over the next several months. Days after naming Alabama his leader, he committed to LSU. He then backed off that pledge in October but subsequently recommitted to the Tigers in December, just days after announcing a top two of Arizona State and Mississippi State. After all that, Guidry announced on signing day that he would need to stay in junior college for another semester.
A lot to keep up with, right? After a time, South Carolina chose not to go along for that ride.
Speaking of receivers, the staff is very happy with its haul at the wide receiver position. Smith is an electric athlete who can also help out as a return specialist. OrTre Smith has a high upside with his ball skills and vertical presence. Chad Terrell was a four-star, Rivals250 selection who still somehow flew under the radar during recruiting. He was one of the top receivers in the state of Georgia statistically as a senior who has soft hands and is a smart route-runner with some athleticism. In some ways, he reminds me of a guy USC should have pushed for in a previous cycle in JJ Arcega-Whiteside.
USC continued digging around on Clemson defensive back commitment AJ Terrell during the football season, and there were some conversations there as well as some interest. At the end, it was just too much to overcome. Clemson’s profile and recent success certainly helped, but Terrell’s ties with fellow Tiger pledge Leanthony Williams also stagnated things for the Gamecocks and a follow-up visit never occurred following Terrell’s commitment to Clemson.
Five-star defensive back Shaun Wade, who signed Ohio State, also had some conversations with South Carolina during the season but nothing concrete ever materialized there.
In terms of previous commitments, wide receiver Shawn Smith, cornerback Damarri Mathis, and running back Kyshaun Bryan all fell into the same category as guys that had conversations with the South Carolina staff and after those conversations, felt encouraged to take a look at some other program options. All still had the opportunity to go to South Carolina (offers weren’t pulled), but it would have needed to be a grayshirt option in at least a couple cases.
At running back, we previously noted that USC was not going to sign a prospect at that position in 2017, choosing to reserve the spot for 2018 and get transfer Ty’Son Williams on scholarship. USC was involved during the process with Chase Hayden, Jalen Holston, and Javon Leake among others but chose not to make pushes there.
GamecockCentral.com subscribers were surely picking up some positive vibes regarding Carolina’s chances with Georgia defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt following his official visit to South Carolina and in the days leading up to signing day. Looking back on the process, there were legitimate reasons to feel good about it.
During a conversation I had with Wyatt on signing day, he admitted there was a time he was convinced he was going to go back with USC. The Peach State defensive tackle originally committed to USC in the summer prior to flipping to the in-state Dawgs in August. Over time, USC drew even to make it a legitimate 50/50 proposition heading into the stretch run of recruiting. This one was expected to be a back and forth battle from January until signing day, and it proved to be that and more.
USC took the edge after Wyatt’s official visit to USC the weekend of January 13, with Wyatt and his family feeling very comfortable about Columbia afterwards. Wyatt’s preference, as well as that of multiple people close to him and involved in the process, was South Carolina at the time. Georgia got its turn the following weekend and while there was some positive feedback on the UGA side of things after that, there was still reason to feel good about USC’s chances. Wes Mitchell and I traveled to Atlanta a week before signing day and after talking to Wyatt and others involved, reported back that we felt USC was in the best shape.
On that Wednesday night, USC sent what could be considered its best team of recruiters (minus Will Muschamp) in to see Wyatt. Area recruiter Bryan McClendon, defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson, and defensive line coach Lance Thompson were all in the home. Things looked quite good at that point too, with Wyatt’s next move an in-home visit with Georgia’s Kirby Smart on Thursday and an official visit to Florida on that Friday. Wyatt indicated to multiple people over the span of those next few days, including after the Florida visit, that he was still feeling South Carolina. Late on Monday night, things took a turn towards Georgia. We’ve mentioned that Wyatt had some Georgia influence in his family, and that along with the pull of the in-state program really turned things. This one was razor close, and one that stung for South Carolina given the position it was in for a while.
Wyatt told me on Wednesday morning that he had not spoken to Will Muschamp since he decided on Georgia the day prior. As far as I know, there was never a follow-up conversation prior to him signing.
Another prospect USC lost out on in the 2017 class was North Carolina’s Hamsah Nasirildeen. At the end of the day, I can confidently say there’s not much South Carolina could have done there after Nasirildeen and his family made their way to campus for an official visit the weekend of January 20. We noted then that Nasirildeen and his family were saying the right things after the trip, but that the concern was that nobody was saying he was shutting down the process and definitely signing with South Carolina.
As I write this, all the information we have points to Nasirildeen himself wanting to stay closer to home and play for Muschamp. We’ll just say that was not the preference of everyone around Nasirildeen, and that was pretty evident at multiple points throughout the process including on the official visit. Former Gamecock assistant Jay Graham is a Concord native with ties to Nasirildeen’s father, and that all ended up playing a significant role at the end with the Noles pulling the late flip.
South Carolina had a strong in-state haul in the 2017 class, but there were some guys from within the state that USC was involved with who ended up heading elsewhere for a variety of reasons. Bluffton speedster Cam Bent picked up a very early offer from the staff, but ended up waiting too long to commit. Dutch Fork’s Austin Connor fell into a similar category. USC liked his athletic abilities a great deal, but his process went on a while and it came to a point where USC had others higher on the board.
In-state athlete Tancey Richardson, who signed with Kansas State, is someone who had a good senior season for South Aiken. You’ll recall that Richardson made a verbal commitment on social media to South Carolina at one point, but there were a couple issues there. First, Richardson had not actually spoken to the USC staff at the time. He also posted an explanation with his commitment that he was still considering several other programs and would take official visits in what amounted to a “reservation” with the Gamecocks.
Westside’s Lummie Young, a Duke signee, is a strong high school player but USC’s preference is to see defensive backs work out in person and Young did not camp with the Gamecocks. FSU signee Tre Lawson also did not work out in Columbia, despite efforts to get him on campus to do so.
Georgia offensive lineman Tony Gray was a prospect USC brought in on an official visit who could have very well landed in the class had USC wanted, but the Gamecocks passed there. Kentucky pledge Chris Whittaker out of Florida visited Columbia during camp season was another prospect the staff could have likely landed at that particular time, had it chosen to push. Florida’s Naytron Culpepper was not someone USC was pushing for later in the football season, despite him visiting Columbia.
Don't see several big names here that you want to know more about? We'll have several other dedicated "Inside the Class" features such as the previously published one on Brad Johnson.
Our staff at GamecockCentral.com frequently had questions about in-state safety Tank Robinson, who at several points was ranked significantly higher before landing on a 5.5 three-star status by the end of the process. Our subscribers knew in the summer that we were no longer tracking Robinson’s recruitment as it pertained to South Carolina following camp season. Interesting to note here that Robinson worked out in camp the same day as Dickerson. The Lake Marion product signed with East Carolina yesterday.
After committing to USC over the summer, Union County four-star Shi Smith shut the recruiting process down, eschewing visiting other schools and participating in other programs’ camps. I can tell you that South Carolina is quite happy he made that decision, because he put on a show in Columbia when he worked out in the indoor facility over the summer.
Smith will bring a blend of speed, quickness, and toughness to the receiver position for the Gamecocks. As noted, he worked out multiple days during USC’s camp sessions over the summer and was excellent, with no defensive back there able to cover him in space. One day, perhaps to give himself a challenge, Smith lined up for one rep at the cornerback position. He backpedaled, had great technique, and drove to the ball to break up an out route. A USC coach watching Smith looked over at Will Muschamp, who despite talking on the phone at the time was keeping a close eye on Smith. He gave a smile and a nod of approval. Still, here’s betting that wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon won’t give him up to the defensive guys anytime soon.
One of the wildest recruitments from the 2017 cycle actually featured a prospect that was once on USC’s commitment list. An early wide receiver pledge to the Gamecocks, junior college wide receiver Stephen Guidry’s recruitment blew up in terms of offers after he verbally committed to Carolina last spring, and USC knew it would be in for a battle to keep him in the fold. In April, Guidry backed off his pledge with LSU firmly in the driver’s seat for the Louisiana native. Guidry said USC would always be in his top five, but was not upon his next release. Things twisted and turned with Guidry multiple times over the next several months. Days after naming Alabama his leader, he committed to LSU. He then backed off that pledge in October but subsequently recommitted to the Tigers in December, just days after announcing a top two of Arizona State and Mississippi State. After all that, Guidry announced on signing day that he would need to stay in junior college for another semester.
A lot to keep up with, right? After a time, South Carolina chose not to go along for that ride.
Speaking of receivers, the staff is very happy with its haul at the wide receiver position. Smith is an electric athlete who can also help out as a return specialist. OrTre Smith has a high upside with his ball skills and vertical presence. Chad Terrell was a four-star, Rivals250 selection who still somehow flew under the radar during recruiting. He was one of the top receivers in the state of Georgia statistically as a senior who has soft hands and is a smart route-runner with some athleticism. In some ways, he reminds me of a guy USC should have pushed for in a previous cycle in JJ Arcega-Whiteside.
USC continued digging around on Clemson defensive back commitment AJ Terrell during the football season, and there were some conversations there as well as some interest. At the end, it was just too much to overcome. Clemson’s profile and recent success certainly helped, but Terrell’s ties with fellow Tiger pledge Leanthony Williams also stagnated things for the Gamecocks and a follow-up visit never occurred following Terrell’s commitment to Clemson.
Five-star defensive back Shaun Wade, who signed Ohio State, also had some conversations with South Carolina during the season but nothing concrete ever materialized there.
In terms of previous commitments, wide receiver Shawn Smith, cornerback Damarri Mathis, and running back Kyshaun Bryan all fell into the same category as guys that had conversations with the South Carolina staff and after those conversations, felt encouraged to take a look at some other program options. All still had the opportunity to go to South Carolina (offers weren’t pulled), but it would have needed to be a grayshirt option in at least a couple cases.
At running back, we previously noted that USC was not going to sign a prospect at that position in 2017, choosing to reserve the spot for 2018 and get transfer Ty’Son Williams on scholarship. USC was involved during the process with Chase Hayden, Jalen Holston, and Javon Leake among others but chose not to make pushes there.
GamecockCentral.com subscribers were surely picking up some positive vibes regarding Carolina’s chances with Georgia defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt following his official visit to South Carolina and in the days leading up to signing day. Looking back on the process, there were legitimate reasons to feel good about it.
During a conversation I had with Wyatt on signing day, he admitted there was a time he was convinced he was going to go back with USC. The Peach State defensive tackle originally committed to USC in the summer prior to flipping to the in-state Dawgs in August. Over time, USC drew even to make it a legitimate 50/50 proposition heading into the stretch run of recruiting. This one was expected to be a back and forth battle from January until signing day, and it proved to be that and more.
USC took the edge after Wyatt’s official visit to USC the weekend of January 13, with Wyatt and his family feeling very comfortable about Columbia afterwards. Wyatt’s preference, as well as that of multiple people close to him and involved in the process, was South Carolina at the time. Georgia got its turn the following weekend and while there was some positive feedback on the UGA side of things after that, there was still reason to feel good about USC’s chances. Wes Mitchell and I traveled to Atlanta a week before signing day and after talking to Wyatt and others involved, reported back that we felt USC was in the best shape.
On that Wednesday night, USC sent what could be considered its best team of recruiters (minus Will Muschamp) in to see Wyatt. Area recruiter Bryan McClendon, defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson, and defensive line coach Lance Thompson were all in the home. Things looked quite good at that point too, with Wyatt’s next move an in-home visit with Georgia’s Kirby Smart on Thursday and an official visit to Florida on that Friday. Wyatt indicated to multiple people over the span of those next few days, including after the Florida visit, that he was still feeling South Carolina. Late on Monday night, things took a turn towards Georgia. We’ve mentioned that Wyatt had some Georgia influence in his family, and that along with the pull of the in-state program really turned things. This one was razor close, and one that stung for South Carolina given the position it was in for a while.
Wyatt told me on Wednesday morning that he had not spoken to Will Muschamp since he decided on Georgia the day prior. As far as I know, there was never a follow-up conversation prior to him signing.
Another prospect USC lost out on in the 2017 class was North Carolina’s Hamsah Nasirildeen. At the end of the day, I can confidently say there’s not much South Carolina could have done there after Nasirildeen and his family made their way to campus for an official visit the weekend of January 20. We noted then that Nasirildeen and his family were saying the right things after the trip, but that the concern was that nobody was saying he was shutting down the process and definitely signing with South Carolina.
As I write this, all the information we have points to Nasirildeen himself wanting to stay closer to home and play for Muschamp. We’ll just say that was not the preference of everyone around Nasirildeen, and that was pretty evident at multiple points throughout the process including on the official visit. Former Gamecock assistant Jay Graham is a Concord native with ties to Nasirildeen’s father, and that all ended up playing a significant role at the end with the Noles pulling the late flip.
South Carolina had a strong in-state haul in the 2017 class, but there were some guys from within the state that USC was involved with who ended up heading elsewhere for a variety of reasons. Bluffton speedster Cam Bent picked up a very early offer from the staff, but ended up waiting too long to commit. Dutch Fork’s Austin Connor fell into a similar category. USC liked his athletic abilities a great deal, but his process went on a while and it came to a point where USC had others higher on the board.
In-state athlete Tancey Richardson, who signed with Kansas State, is someone who had a good senior season for South Aiken. You’ll recall that Richardson made a verbal commitment on social media to South Carolina at one point, but there were a couple issues there. First, Richardson had not actually spoken to the USC staff at the time. He also posted an explanation with his commitment that he was still considering several other programs and would take official visits in what amounted to a “reservation” with the Gamecocks.
Westside’s Lummie Young, a Duke signee, is a strong high school player but USC’s preference is to see defensive backs work out in person and Young did not camp with the Gamecocks. FSU signee Tre Lawson also did not work out in Columbia, despite efforts to get him on campus to do so.
Georgia offensive lineman Tony Gray was a prospect USC brought in on an official visit who could have very well landed in the class had USC wanted, but the Gamecocks passed there. Kentucky pledge Chris Whittaker out of Florida visited Columbia during camp season was another prospect the staff could have likely landed at that particular time, had it chosen to push. Florida’s Naytron Culpepper was not someone USC was pushing for later in the football season, despite him visiting Columbia.
Don't see several big names here that you want to know more about? We'll have several other dedicated "Inside the Class" features such as the previously published one on Brad Johnson.
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