In case you missed it, make sure you check out our weekend official visit list that was published on Thursday.
USC will host a trio of defensive linemen in Pendleton’s Brad Johnson, D.C.’s Jalen Twyman, and Georgia commitment Devonte Wyatt.
Johnson’s recruitment, originally pegged to end around November or so, has been prolonged for various reasons. Right now, it’s close between the Gamecocks and Virginia Tech. The Hokies have hosted him on an official visit already and have some heat behind them at this point because of their appearance in the ACC title game in year one under Justin Fuente. Bud Foster’s defense also holds appeal in Blacksburg. This is a big visit for Johnson and the Gamecocks for multiple reasons, as everyone should have a better idea of where things stand in terms of Johnson’s thinking, USC’s thinking, and the timetable here. USC has been the long time edge-holder here but Johnson extending the process and Virginia Tech closing the gap has made it not as easy to peg. Johnson is still planning on visiting Tennessee next weekend as of now; we’ll see if that materializes following this weekend. Johnson’s mother will join him on this trip and he’s always been more of a family-oriented, home-based young man. Some people believe that all things being equal, South Carolina would be difficult to overtake head to head at the end of the process.
Wes Mitchell had a rundown of what’s going on with Twyman in his most recent Carolina Confidential…
As for Wyatt, not much has changed since our early January report on his thinking. At that time, Wyatt indicated that “didn’t know” where things stood with his Georgia commitment and called things “50/50” between the Gamecocks and Dawgs. The former USC commitment is still slated to see Athens the weekend of January 20 and Florida the weekend prior to signing day. The folks I’ve talked to are skeptical that Florida can emerge to challenge USC or Georgia, but we’ll see how that trip goes (assuming Wyatt makes it). There are ample ties to UGA and pressure to stay in state (Kirby Smart has done quite a good job at keeping in-state talent in this class), but Lance Thompson and Will Muschamp have been on Wyatt since very early in the process and have a good relationship with him. Wyatt’s parents, despite USC not being the in-state program, feel very comfortable in Columbia and both will be on hand this weekend as well. This one should remain close until Wyatt renders a decision, which he has said could come on signing day.
A couple of uncommitted offensive linemen are slated to visit: Tony Gray and Jordan Rhodes, both out of Georgia.
Gray, a high school teammate of USC commitment Jamyest Williams, has had a rotating cast of programs in his lead group. Behind the scenes, it’s been tough to tell what the actual pecking order is for Gray on both sides of the aisle. As for the Gamecocks, the staff will bring in Gray on the visit this weekend but I would project Gray to end up elsewhere at this time. We’re more closely monitoring Rhodes, Jordan Tucker, and Jordan Carty as it pertains to USC along the offensive line.
Rhodes is a prospect we’ve profiled numerous times, he being an inexperienced lineman with a basketball background with a big upside. He’s also slated to see Mississippi State and Missouri the next two weekends, with Cincinnati also angling to get a trip. Rhodes is a unique individual; very business like in his approach. It’s tough to read his intentions, but I believe that South Carolina will have an excellent shot to land him if everything checks out this weekend.
Some non-visitor notes now: Eric Wolford made a stop in Milledgeville on Thursday once the contact period opened to meet with offensive line commitment Dennis Daley. Here’s what Daley said about that visit:
“We just got to know each other on a personal level and honestly, I really like him not just as a coach but as a person. He’s a coach that’s going to push me and I have an opportunity to start, meaning I have to earn the start,” Daley said.
We still feel good about USC’s chances to ultimately land junior college defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. The needle already pointed that way in the past several weeks, but on the heels of Will Muschamp and Lance Thompson visiting Kinlaw’s mother and then Kinlaw separately yesterday, Kinlaw cancelled his previously scheduled visit to Alabama (slated for January 20). Kinlaw has not indicated any other change in status for this weekend; he was on the docket to visit Southern Cal. He’ll see USC the weekend of January 27.
USC will host a trio of defensive linemen in Pendleton’s Brad Johnson, D.C.’s Jalen Twyman, and Georgia commitment Devonte Wyatt.
Johnson’s recruitment, originally pegged to end around November or so, has been prolonged for various reasons. Right now, it’s close between the Gamecocks and Virginia Tech. The Hokies have hosted him on an official visit already and have some heat behind them at this point because of their appearance in the ACC title game in year one under Justin Fuente. Bud Foster’s defense also holds appeal in Blacksburg. This is a big visit for Johnson and the Gamecocks for multiple reasons, as everyone should have a better idea of where things stand in terms of Johnson’s thinking, USC’s thinking, and the timetable here. USC has been the long time edge-holder here but Johnson extending the process and Virginia Tech closing the gap has made it not as easy to peg. Johnson is still planning on visiting Tennessee next weekend as of now; we’ll see if that materializes following this weekend. Johnson’s mother will join him on this trip and he’s always been more of a family-oriented, home-based young man. Some people believe that all things being equal, South Carolina would be difficult to overtake head to head at the end of the process.
Wes Mitchell had a rundown of what’s going on with Twyman in his most recent Carolina Confidential…
As for Wyatt, not much has changed since our early January report on his thinking. At that time, Wyatt indicated that “didn’t know” where things stood with his Georgia commitment and called things “50/50” between the Gamecocks and Dawgs. The former USC commitment is still slated to see Athens the weekend of January 20 and Florida the weekend prior to signing day. The folks I’ve talked to are skeptical that Florida can emerge to challenge USC or Georgia, but we’ll see how that trip goes (assuming Wyatt makes it). There are ample ties to UGA and pressure to stay in state (Kirby Smart has done quite a good job at keeping in-state talent in this class), but Lance Thompson and Will Muschamp have been on Wyatt since very early in the process and have a good relationship with him. Wyatt’s parents, despite USC not being the in-state program, feel very comfortable in Columbia and both will be on hand this weekend as well. This one should remain close until Wyatt renders a decision, which he has said could come on signing day.
A couple of uncommitted offensive linemen are slated to visit: Tony Gray and Jordan Rhodes, both out of Georgia.
Gray, a high school teammate of USC commitment Jamyest Williams, has had a rotating cast of programs in his lead group. Behind the scenes, it’s been tough to tell what the actual pecking order is for Gray on both sides of the aisle. As for the Gamecocks, the staff will bring in Gray on the visit this weekend but I would project Gray to end up elsewhere at this time. We’re more closely monitoring Rhodes, Jordan Tucker, and Jordan Carty as it pertains to USC along the offensive line.
Rhodes is a prospect we’ve profiled numerous times, he being an inexperienced lineman with a basketball background with a big upside. He’s also slated to see Mississippi State and Missouri the next two weekends, with Cincinnati also angling to get a trip. Rhodes is a unique individual; very business like in his approach. It’s tough to read his intentions, but I believe that South Carolina will have an excellent shot to land him if everything checks out this weekend.
Some non-visitor notes now: Eric Wolford made a stop in Milledgeville on Thursday once the contact period opened to meet with offensive line commitment Dennis Daley. Here’s what Daley said about that visit:
“We just got to know each other on a personal level and honestly, I really like him not just as a coach but as a person. He’s a coach that’s going to push me and I have an opportunity to start, meaning I have to earn the start,” Daley said.
We still feel good about USC’s chances to ultimately land junior college defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. The needle already pointed that way in the past several weeks, but on the heels of Will Muschamp and Lance Thompson visiting Kinlaw’s mother and then Kinlaw separately yesterday, Kinlaw cancelled his previously scheduled visit to Alabama (slated for January 20). Kinlaw has not indicated any other change in status for this weekend; he was on the docket to visit Southern Cal. He’ll see USC the weekend of January 27.
