CornerstoneColumbia.com
A pair of prospects from the Palmetto State’s 2020 recruiting class are being monitored by the Gamecock football staff for the 2022 class.
Fort Mill’s Jordan Herman has been to Columbia for more than one visit in the past, and offensive line coach Eric Wolford helped place him at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, the same program that produced 2021 signee Jazston Turnetine.
Like Turnetine, Herman is massive, listed at 6-foot-8. Several members of the Gamecock staff, including Will Muschamp, scouted Herman at a hoops tournament back in January. Herman is on campus at Hutchinson and will begin his football season this spring. Carolina’s where he wants to be in the future, as long as things work out as they should.
Joining Herman at Hutchinson is Barnwell’s Deshawn Watson, who was one of the state top overall players as a senior last year. The super productive backer would have had high-level offers if not for his academics, and he’s someone the Gamecock staff still worked on building a relationship with during the process. His playing ability is there, and as long as things get sorted out academically, he’s going to be in position to start picking up Power 5 offers in the future. South Carolina has an eye squarely on his progress.
*** South Carolina remains in a very favorable spot with Florida athlete Dontae Balfour, a player on the Gamecocks’ board as a potential defensive back.
It’s up in the air as to when the Sunshine State product could choose to end the process, with one component being that he’s remained open to hearing from others and gaining new offers. Mississippi State could be next out of the SEC.
*** Florida tight end Michael Trigg, a possible two-sport (basketball) athlete in college, released a top three on Thursday that included the Gamecocks.
In speaking with various sources connected to Trigg’s recruitment, we have always gotten the sense that this four-star would be quite the difficult pull out of Florida.
That will remain true, with defending national champion LSU and Southern Cal – which carries some intrigue for Trigg – making up the other two primary contenders.
Trigg has only visited Columbia out of those three, and has a good relationship with members of the Gamecock coaching staff. Carolina’s firmly in this race, but the outcome is to be determined.
*** South Carolina would love to add in-state prospect Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and another talented player up front to its defensive line haul for 2021.
While there are still multiple players on the board that could fit that mold, one that we are closely tracking is former Georgia commitment Marlin Dean.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder announced his intentions a week ago to play his senior season at IMG Academy in Florida, and there’s a fairly heavy SEC flavor to the programs that continue to pursue him. Auburn, South Carolina, and Tennessee are all heavily involved, in addition to some continued communication with Georgia. Dean has told the Rivals.com network recently that he’s not in a hurry to make a choice, so the NCAA’s decision on how to handle reopening in-person recruiting could loom heavily in this one.
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