FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Another one of the talented prospects on hand for USC’s win Saturday over Tennesee was four-star Georgia linebacker Zakoby McClain. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder believes he’s close to landing an offer from the Gamecock staff; Will Muschamp told him on Saturday that he was one of the top prospects on the board in the 2018 class. McClain also spoke with positional coach Coleman Hutzler and enjoyed looking at the facilities and weight room on campus. Tennessee, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and South Carolina are several of the programs that stick out to him right now.
New York defensive tackle Romello Martin is someone we are still tracking up front in the 2017 class, and he informed GamecockCentral.com that he is in the process of finalizing his five finalists and five official visits that he’ll take before the recruiting process is over. I would think USC has a solid shot of landing an official visit, although with limited spots it’s difficult to tell which direction the staff will go in terms of prioritization.
When you recruit top-notch talent, other programs will often continue recruiting them and that’s been the case with four-star defensive back Hamsah Nasirildeen. The talented safety prospect made an official visit this past weekend to Florida State, with former USC assistant (and Concord native) Jay Graham working the case for the Seminoles. Anytime a program of FSU’s magnitude with those ties gets a prospect and his parents on campus, it’s not something to take lightly. However, Nasirildeen has said both publicly and behind the scenes following the trip that he remains committed to USC and has reviewed the reasons that he made the pledge initially. Based on what I have to go on, Nasirildeen seems sold on the Gamecocks but it will be important for the USC staff to get the family on campus and reinforce what USC has to offer and Will Muschamp’s vision for the program. Nasirildeen has not locked in an official visit date to USC yet; it could be for the Gamecocks’ last home game of the season or following the 2016 campaign. The Gamecocks still have that bullet in the chamber, as well as in-home/school visits later this year. The contact period begins on November 27.
HOOPS RECRUITING
In-state forward Nicolas Claxton is still set to announce his college choice on the afternoon of November 14 during a ceremony at his high school. As I’ve noted, Claxton and his family do not plan to notify the school of choice until the ceremony itself. It’s been difficult to round up any concrete information on what Claxton is thinking heading into the decision with five official visits (Baylor, FSU, Georgia, NC State, and South Carolina) under his belt because of how close to the vest he’s kept his recruitment. I do know that in the past, FSU has been at least perceived as the frontrunner, but that was also prior to some of his visits. Just based on what I have to go on, it seems an out of state destination is more likely at this point.
One big man we’re tracking heavily is Florida’s Felipe Haase, who we previously reported is set to officially visit USC this weekend. USC head coach Frank Martin and assistant coach Perry Clark were down in Florida this week checking on Haase, and he’s slated to arrive in Columbia on Friday afternoon on the heels of an official visit to Louisville. Haase’s mentor has a longtime relationship with Frank Martin, which could certainly help in this situation.
Another one of the talented prospects on hand for USC’s win Saturday over Tennesee was four-star Georgia linebacker Zakoby McClain. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder believes he’s close to landing an offer from the Gamecock staff; Will Muschamp told him on Saturday that he was one of the top prospects on the board in the 2018 class. McClain also spoke with positional coach Coleman Hutzler and enjoyed looking at the facilities and weight room on campus. Tennessee, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and South Carolina are several of the programs that stick out to him right now.
New York defensive tackle Romello Martin is someone we are still tracking up front in the 2017 class, and he informed GamecockCentral.com that he is in the process of finalizing his five finalists and five official visits that he’ll take before the recruiting process is over. I would think USC has a solid shot of landing an official visit, although with limited spots it’s difficult to tell which direction the staff will go in terms of prioritization.
When you recruit top-notch talent, other programs will often continue recruiting them and that’s been the case with four-star defensive back Hamsah Nasirildeen. The talented safety prospect made an official visit this past weekend to Florida State, with former USC assistant (and Concord native) Jay Graham working the case for the Seminoles. Anytime a program of FSU’s magnitude with those ties gets a prospect and his parents on campus, it’s not something to take lightly. However, Nasirildeen has said both publicly and behind the scenes following the trip that he remains committed to USC and has reviewed the reasons that he made the pledge initially. Based on what I have to go on, Nasirildeen seems sold on the Gamecocks but it will be important for the USC staff to get the family on campus and reinforce what USC has to offer and Will Muschamp’s vision for the program. Nasirildeen has not locked in an official visit date to USC yet; it could be for the Gamecocks’ last home game of the season or following the 2016 campaign. The Gamecocks still have that bullet in the chamber, as well as in-home/school visits later this year. The contact period begins on November 27.
HOOPS RECRUITING
In-state forward Nicolas Claxton is still set to announce his college choice on the afternoon of November 14 during a ceremony at his high school. As I’ve noted, Claxton and his family do not plan to notify the school of choice until the ceremony itself. It’s been difficult to round up any concrete information on what Claxton is thinking heading into the decision with five official visits (Baylor, FSU, Georgia, NC State, and South Carolina) under his belt because of how close to the vest he’s kept his recruitment. I do know that in the past, FSU has been at least perceived as the frontrunner, but that was also prior to some of his visits. Just based on what I have to go on, it seems an out of state destination is more likely at this point.
One big man we’re tracking heavily is Florida’s Felipe Haase, who we previously reported is set to officially visit USC this weekend. USC head coach Frank Martin and assistant coach Perry Clark were down in Florida this week checking on Haase, and he’s slated to arrive in Columbia on Friday afternoon on the heels of an official visit to Louisville. Haase’s mentor has a longtime relationship with Frank Martin, which could certainly help in this situation.
