More recruiting scoop/scouting notes from RivalsCamp
Over the weekend, Wes Mitchell and myself traveled to Atlanta to cover this year's Rivals Camp Series stop and there were many top shelf prospects in attendance. The camp, exclusive to Rivals.com staffers/team sites, produced plenty of scouting opportunities and recruiting information to pass along to our subscribers here.
Already we published one report on Sunday that had several interesting notes about upcoming visitors, targets that were in attendance, and the like. Check it out here if you missed it.
Isaac Nauta turned in yet another stellar performance at the camp, and while the Florida State commitment maintains that he's going to take other official visits (including one to South Carolina) it looks like it could be difficult to pry him from his original commitment to FSU. He's been helping to recruit for the Noles and explained his decision to take other visits this fall as simply enjoying the process and that he's already cleared it with the Seminole coaching staff. Certainly you never say never in recruiting and Nauta does like South Carolina and has a good relationship with G.A. Mangus. Assuming he follows through with the round of visits, USC will get one and Mangus and the Gamecock staff will give it a go. You never know, but if I'm a betting man I'm saying it's going to be difficult for anyone to flip Nauta just from reading the tea leaves currently.
Four-star DT Antwuan Jackson continues to have others ahead of South Carolina at this time. I'm told that neither Clemson nor South Carolina appears to be a big factor for him at this time. Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia should be considered the frontrunners right now. He continues to talk with USC, and he could visit again this spring or maybe even take an official visit later in the process but USC is behind several others. I want to be clear that this is not a situation where the Gamecock staff "dropped the ball", stopped recruiting him or anything of the like. USC continues to recruit him hard, but Jackson is just simply more interested in other programs. The family ties to South Carolina are not really a big factor for him, certainly not as much as it appeared they would be earlier in the process. While we'll still track Jackson going forward, he's not one we expect to end up in Columbia and have not for some time unless something drastically changes. It is worth nothing that he's continued to talk on a regular basis with USC's staff and has not eliminated USC publicly or privately.
2017 LB Nate McBride just picked up offers recently from Auburn and Alabama, and I would expect both of those programs to be major factors in his recruitment. The Georgia linebacker, who has excellent speed for his position, has South Carolina as one of the programs under consideration. He still talks highly of his visit to last year's win over UGA, and also had great things to say yesterday about linebackers coach Kirk Botkin. He hopes to make return trips to Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, and possibly to Florida State. Alabama and Auburn will get visits early next month.
Another Botkin recruit that was in attendance in Atlanta was Alabama defensive lineman Darius Whitfield. He hopes to take the bulk of his visits during the summer and USC is being eyed as one of the stops for him. Southern Cal, Miami, Florida State, and Tennsseee are some of the other places that Whitfield hopes to see.
Former Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson DB Khalil Ladler, now at IMG Academy in Florida, has a current top four of FSU, Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU. That top four is not locked in according to Ladler, and South Carolina is still on his list although I do think behind several others.
Other notes
USC running back offer Tony Jones committed over the weekend to Notre Dame. The Gamecock staff could opt to take two backs in this class, but Jones is now off the board.
One such player that could fit into the picture at running back for USC, Tyrek Tisdale, had the Gamecocks as his leader up until recently when Florida really entered the picture for him in a big way. He's visited the Gators on back to back weekends and admitted to InsidetheGators.com after his most recent trip that he considered pulling the trigger on a commitment. I would have to consider Florida the frontrunner at this time, although his current plan is to wait things out and take some other visits.
As for other backs, USC is in a strong position along with Virginia Tech for North Carolina all-purpose back C.J. Freeman and he's expected to be back in Columbia for junior day next weekend. He's certainly one to continue to watch going forward.
Georgia LB Tre Lamar formerly had a top five that included USC, but now it's Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Tennessee. The Gamecocks slipped over time here in the lead-up to last signing day.
Piedmont (S.C.) Wren 2017 quarterback Jay Urich is planning to visit USC for spring practice soon. The 6-foot-4,1 85-pounder is still waiting on his first offer but has Division I potential.
Over the weekend, Wes Mitchell and myself traveled to Atlanta to cover this year's Rivals Camp Series stop and there were many top shelf prospects in attendance. The camp, exclusive to Rivals.com staffers/team sites, produced plenty of scouting opportunities and recruiting information to pass along to our subscribers here.
Already we published one report on Sunday that had several interesting notes about upcoming visitors, targets that were in attendance, and the like. Check it out here if you missed it.
Isaac Nauta turned in yet another stellar performance at the camp, and while the Florida State commitment maintains that he's going to take other official visits (including one to South Carolina) it looks like it could be difficult to pry him from his original commitment to FSU. He's been helping to recruit for the Noles and explained his decision to take other visits this fall as simply enjoying the process and that he's already cleared it with the Seminole coaching staff. Certainly you never say never in recruiting and Nauta does like South Carolina and has a good relationship with G.A. Mangus. Assuming he follows through with the round of visits, USC will get one and Mangus and the Gamecock staff will give it a go. You never know, but if I'm a betting man I'm saying it's going to be difficult for anyone to flip Nauta just from reading the tea leaves currently.
Four-star DT Antwuan Jackson continues to have others ahead of South Carolina at this time. I'm told that neither Clemson nor South Carolina appears to be a big factor for him at this time. Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia should be considered the frontrunners right now. He continues to talk with USC, and he could visit again this spring or maybe even take an official visit later in the process but USC is behind several others. I want to be clear that this is not a situation where the Gamecock staff "dropped the ball", stopped recruiting him or anything of the like. USC continues to recruit him hard, but Jackson is just simply more interested in other programs. The family ties to South Carolina are not really a big factor for him, certainly not as much as it appeared they would be earlier in the process. While we'll still track Jackson going forward, he's not one we expect to end up in Columbia and have not for some time unless something drastically changes. It is worth nothing that he's continued to talk on a regular basis with USC's staff and has not eliminated USC publicly or privately.
2017 LB Nate McBride just picked up offers recently from Auburn and Alabama, and I would expect both of those programs to be major factors in his recruitment. The Georgia linebacker, who has excellent speed for his position, has South Carolina as one of the programs under consideration. He still talks highly of his visit to last year's win over UGA, and also had great things to say yesterday about linebackers coach Kirk Botkin. He hopes to make return trips to Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, and possibly to Florida State. Alabama and Auburn will get visits early next month.
Another Botkin recruit that was in attendance in Atlanta was Alabama defensive lineman Darius Whitfield. He hopes to take the bulk of his visits during the summer and USC is being eyed as one of the stops for him. Southern Cal, Miami, Florida State, and Tennsseee are some of the other places that Whitfield hopes to see.
Former Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson DB Khalil Ladler, now at IMG Academy in Florida, has a current top four of FSU, Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU. That top four is not locked in according to Ladler, and South Carolina is still on his list although I do think behind several others.
Other notes
USC running back offer Tony Jones committed over the weekend to Notre Dame. The Gamecock staff could opt to take two backs in this class, but Jones is now off the board.
One such player that could fit into the picture at running back for USC, Tyrek Tisdale, had the Gamecocks as his leader up until recently when Florida really entered the picture for him in a big way. He's visited the Gators on back to back weekends and admitted to InsidetheGators.com after his most recent trip that he considered pulling the trigger on a commitment. I would have to consider Florida the frontrunner at this time, although his current plan is to wait things out and take some other visits.
As for other backs, USC is in a strong position along with Virginia Tech for North Carolina all-purpose back C.J. Freeman and he's expected to be back in Columbia for junior day next weekend. He's certainly one to continue to watch going forward.
Georgia LB Tre Lamar formerly had a top five that included USC, but now it's Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Tennessee. The Gamecocks slipped over time here in the lead-up to last signing day.
Piedmont (S.C.) Wren 2017 quarterback Jay Urich is planning to visit USC for spring practice soon. The 6-foot-4,1 85-pounder is still waiting on his first offer but has Division I potential.
