South Carolina picked up a prospect in Eric Shaw on Thursday that is now one of the most athletically intriguing players in the class.
The Alabama product, a candidate to continue moving up in the Rivals.com rankings, checks off so many of the boxes that you look for in a major college prospect, especially at his position. He’s a three-sport athlete, also excelling in track and basketball, and plays both ways on the football field as well.
Shaw carried offers to play on the defensive side of the ball in college, but South Carolina wanted him at tight end early and that made a substantial impression. The three-star prospect made an official visit to USC back in June, joined by his mother, and it looked at that time like the Gamecocks would have an excellent shot.
Things seemed to cool off a bit later in June and July after the Gamecocks took Nick Muse as a transfer and it became apparent that USC was going to have an excellent shot with then-Florida commitment Jaheim Bell as well. The Gamecock staff kept in touch with Shaw, he remained interested in committing, and he was a player that the staff wanted to add to the class. Taking Shaw does not have anything to do with South Carolina’s position with Bell; the staff hopes to add him to the class as well.
Shaw’s athleticism is impressive. He tore his ACL last October making a tackle on defense, but rehabbed hard, in time to return for track season in the spring. He responding by winning three 2A state titles in May – one each in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, and the high jump.
He’s a kid who’s 6-foot-4, almost 215 pounds and is going to get a lot bigger once he gets into a college strength and nutrition program and focuses on one sport. He also has big hands – 10 ¼ inches, which certainly helps in the pass-catching department. By comparison, only one of the first ten NFL Draft picks at tight end for 2019 had hands bigger than Shaw’s.
The feel here is that Shaw’s a guy with legitimate pro upside, providing that he does what it takes at the next level and develops.
The Alabama product, a candidate to continue moving up in the Rivals.com rankings, checks off so many of the boxes that you look for in a major college prospect, especially at his position. He’s a three-sport athlete, also excelling in track and basketball, and plays both ways on the football field as well.
Shaw carried offers to play on the defensive side of the ball in college, but South Carolina wanted him at tight end early and that made a substantial impression. The three-star prospect made an official visit to USC back in June, joined by his mother, and it looked at that time like the Gamecocks would have an excellent shot.
Things seemed to cool off a bit later in June and July after the Gamecocks took Nick Muse as a transfer and it became apparent that USC was going to have an excellent shot with then-Florida commitment Jaheim Bell as well. The Gamecock staff kept in touch with Shaw, he remained interested in committing, and he was a player that the staff wanted to add to the class. Taking Shaw does not have anything to do with South Carolina’s position with Bell; the staff hopes to add him to the class as well.
Shaw’s athleticism is impressive. He tore his ACL last October making a tackle on defense, but rehabbed hard, in time to return for track season in the spring. He responding by winning three 2A state titles in May – one each in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, and the high jump.
He’s a kid who’s 6-foot-4, almost 215 pounds and is going to get a lot bigger once he gets into a college strength and nutrition program and focuses on one sport. He also has big hands – 10 ¼ inches, which certainly helps in the pass-catching department. By comparison, only one of the first ten NFL Draft picks at tight end for 2019 had hands bigger than Shaw’s.
The feel here is that Shaw’s a guy with legitimate pro upside, providing that he does what it takes at the next level and develops.
