First of all, we dropped a ton of recruiting scoop on Gamecock targets from the Rivals Five-Star Challenge this weekend. If you missed it, then go back and check it out here.
Four-star Virginia offensive lineman Matthew Burrell Jr. has kept in consistent contact with South Carolina and has a good relationship with lead recruiter Deke Adams. Burrell hasn't visited South Carolina yet, but that is likely to change in the near future. I've been told by multiple sources that Burrell and others close to him have told USC's coaching staff that they will make a visit to Columbia at some point. Over the weekend, I was told that South Carolina and Florida State are the two teams he is eyeing to visit next. Alabama is a team that could prove tough to beat for Burrell, as he's very close with former five-star Alabama signee Dashawn Hand. Still, USC should be getting him on campus sometime in the future.
Hopewell (Virginia) defensive end Darrell Taylor recently told Rivals.com that he is going to visit Tennessee, Florida, Miami, and South Carolina during the summer/fall.
I want to clarify something on defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who recently committed to Clemson over South Carolina and others. Sometimes in recruiting you can point to a school being outworked or doing a lesser job recruiting a prospect, but this was not one of those cases. Recruiting is complex and isn't as always as cut and dry as when a school misses on a prospect, that means a poor job was done recruiting said prospect. Deke Adams had a strong relationship with Ferrell and got him on campus twice (once more than Clemson, actually). I can tell you that Ferrell thought highly of Adams as well. As you all know, Clemson and Columbia are two very different places and at the end of the day, among other things Ferrell just preferred the feel of Clemson better.
South Carolina got in early on Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith and things were fairly hot between the two sides early before cooling off some. Smith may opt to take a third visit to South Carolina at some point, according to what he told me in Baltimore this weekend. He was not able to meet Steve Spurrier on his first two visits and would like to do that on his third visit if he does take it, in addition to learning more about the academic side of things. Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and UCLA are four programs he's been focused on as of late but he's also still open. I would probably classify him as a longer shot at this point, but it is noteworthy that he could take another trip at some point.
One of the prospects that South Carolina has offered in Florida in the 2015 class is North Carolina commitment Sherrod Pittman. He told me in Baltimore this weekend that he's been working on Sweet for USC and that he thinks the Gamecocks may have a shot to flip him. Several First Coast players are rolling into Columbia on Friday for USC's skills camp, and Sweet could be with the group to watch some of his skill teammates work out. That would give him an opportunity to visit with USC's staff. We'll see how it plays out, but it's something to continue to watch. I'm not saying a flip is going to happen, but passing on what Pittman said.
Florida offensive lineman Christian Pellage has set two visits; to USF on July 19-20 and to South Carolina on July 25 and 26.
Originally, Florida offensive tackle Jalen Merrick planned on visiting USC for the Gamecocks' annual showcase camp (called 'Black Magic' last summer) in July but now wants to get to USC within the next two or three weeks. USC has been one of Merrick's top schools to date despite the fact that he has not visited, and I get the sense that he's pretty excited to take the trip.
Four-star Virginia offensive lineman Matthew Burrell Jr. has kept in consistent contact with South Carolina and has a good relationship with lead recruiter Deke Adams. Burrell hasn't visited South Carolina yet, but that is likely to change in the near future. I've been told by multiple sources that Burrell and others close to him have told USC's coaching staff that they will make a visit to Columbia at some point. Over the weekend, I was told that South Carolina and Florida State are the two teams he is eyeing to visit next. Alabama is a team that could prove tough to beat for Burrell, as he's very close with former five-star Alabama signee Dashawn Hand. Still, USC should be getting him on campus sometime in the future.
Hopewell (Virginia) defensive end Darrell Taylor recently told Rivals.com that he is going to visit Tennessee, Florida, Miami, and South Carolina during the summer/fall.
I want to clarify something on defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who recently committed to Clemson over South Carolina and others. Sometimes in recruiting you can point to a school being outworked or doing a lesser job recruiting a prospect, but this was not one of those cases. Recruiting is complex and isn't as always as cut and dry as when a school misses on a prospect, that means a poor job was done recruiting said prospect. Deke Adams had a strong relationship with Ferrell and got him on campus twice (once more than Clemson, actually). I can tell you that Ferrell thought highly of Adams as well. As you all know, Clemson and Columbia are two very different places and at the end of the day, among other things Ferrell just preferred the feel of Clemson better.
South Carolina got in early on Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith and things were fairly hot between the two sides early before cooling off some. Smith may opt to take a third visit to South Carolina at some point, according to what he told me in Baltimore this weekend. He was not able to meet Steve Spurrier on his first two visits and would like to do that on his third visit if he does take it, in addition to learning more about the academic side of things. Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and UCLA are four programs he's been focused on as of late but he's also still open. I would probably classify him as a longer shot at this point, but it is noteworthy that he could take another trip at some point.
One of the prospects that South Carolina has offered in Florida in the 2015 class is North Carolina commitment Sherrod Pittman. He told me in Baltimore this weekend that he's been working on Sweet for USC and that he thinks the Gamecocks may have a shot to flip him. Several First Coast players are rolling into Columbia on Friday for USC's skills camp, and Sweet could be with the group to watch some of his skill teammates work out. That would give him an opportunity to visit with USC's staff. We'll see how it plays out, but it's something to continue to watch. I'm not saying a flip is going to happen, but passing on what Pittman said.
Florida offensive lineman Christian Pellage has set two visits; to USF on July 19-20 and to South Carolina on July 25 and 26.
Originally, Florida offensive tackle Jalen Merrick planned on visiting USC for the Gamecocks' annual showcase camp (called 'Black Magic' last summer) in July but now wants to get to USC within the next two or three weeks. USC has been one of Merrick's top schools to date despite the fact that he has not visited, and I get the sense that he's pretty excited to take the trip.
