South Carolina scored another major recruiting victory along the offensive line on Monday with the addition of Virginia’s Jakai Moore.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder carried offers from a who’s who of college programs, with Power 5 schools around the Southeast and beyond deeming him worthy of a scholarship. Very few programs that extended offers were able to actually gain traction with the three-star lineman, whether it was Sunshine State programs like Florida and Miami or West Coast programs like Oregon and Southern California.
USC offensive line coach Eric Wolford proved to be a huge factor in the Gamecocks’ landing Moore, the fourth offensive line commitment in this 2019 crop. When Moore began his recruitment he was truly wide open, with no preset ideas on where he’d head or any allegiances that would make it difficult for the Gamecocks to get a foothold.
Early on, it became pretty clear that this one was going to shape up to be a battle between Penn State and South Carolina, the two programs who were the most consistent in pursuit. The Nittany Lions’ courtship and how much of a priority he was for their program illustrates just how big a win this is for the Gamecocks on the recruiting trail.
Moore was not only one of Penn State’s top offensive line targets in this class, but one of the top overall prospects on that side of the ball in general. USC went toe to toe and was able to pull him, despite Moore having visited there six times since February.
Moore is an athletic lineman capable of playing multiple spots on the offensive line, and with still plenty of potential to unlock. His coach told us he actually looks even better playing basketball this season at 300 pounds, whereas he played last season at 265. In a game last week (attended by Will Muschamp, Eric Wolford, and Bryan McClendon), he dunked with ease.
Getting Moore to sign early, despite being a summer enrollee, is another positive for South Carolina in terms of getting him locked in and showing that he is comfortable with his decision. Another bit of strategy that South Carolina bet on and had it pay off was to schedule Moore’s official visit in the spring. That allowed him a full 48 hours on campus with family, whereas any trips later in the year would be cut short by his hoops schedule, such as the one to Penn State.
Wolford did a masterful job of recruiting Moore, selling him on maximizing his potential by playing in the SEC and pointing to his own track record of development and NFL experience. Beyond those on-field factors, Moore has referred to Wolford as a “father figure.” USC had him on campus several times since early in the year and made the most of all those opportunities. Moore had a chance to work with Wolford in the Gamecocks’ summer camp, and during other visits got an in-depth look at the education, facilities, and Beyond Football program in Columbia. Moore’s mother, in particular, also fell in love with Columbia as well as the opportunities her son would have at the school. The decision was left up to the prospect himself, but it certainly helped in having Moore's mother be so comfortable with USC.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder carried offers from a who’s who of college programs, with Power 5 schools around the Southeast and beyond deeming him worthy of a scholarship. Very few programs that extended offers were able to actually gain traction with the three-star lineman, whether it was Sunshine State programs like Florida and Miami or West Coast programs like Oregon and Southern California.
USC offensive line coach Eric Wolford proved to be a huge factor in the Gamecocks’ landing Moore, the fourth offensive line commitment in this 2019 crop. When Moore began his recruitment he was truly wide open, with no preset ideas on where he’d head or any allegiances that would make it difficult for the Gamecocks to get a foothold.
Early on, it became pretty clear that this one was going to shape up to be a battle between Penn State and South Carolina, the two programs who were the most consistent in pursuit. The Nittany Lions’ courtship and how much of a priority he was for their program illustrates just how big a win this is for the Gamecocks on the recruiting trail.
Moore was not only one of Penn State’s top offensive line targets in this class, but one of the top overall prospects on that side of the ball in general. USC went toe to toe and was able to pull him, despite Moore having visited there six times since February.
Moore is an athletic lineman capable of playing multiple spots on the offensive line, and with still plenty of potential to unlock. His coach told us he actually looks even better playing basketball this season at 300 pounds, whereas he played last season at 265. In a game last week (attended by Will Muschamp, Eric Wolford, and Bryan McClendon), he dunked with ease.
Getting Moore to sign early, despite being a summer enrollee, is another positive for South Carolina in terms of getting him locked in and showing that he is comfortable with his decision. Another bit of strategy that South Carolina bet on and had it pay off was to schedule Moore’s official visit in the spring. That allowed him a full 48 hours on campus with family, whereas any trips later in the year would be cut short by his hoops schedule, such as the one to Penn State.
Wolford did a masterful job of recruiting Moore, selling him on maximizing his potential by playing in the SEC and pointing to his own track record of development and NFL experience. Beyond those on-field factors, Moore has referred to Wolford as a “father figure.” USC had him on campus several times since early in the year and made the most of all those opportunities. Moore had a chance to work with Wolford in the Gamecocks’ summer camp, and during other visits got an in-depth look at the education, facilities, and Beyond Football program in Columbia. Moore’s mother, in particular, also fell in love with Columbia as well as the opportunities her son would have at the school. The decision was left up to the prospect himself, but it certainly helped in having Moore's mother be so comfortable with USC.
