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*** Five-star wide receiver Rakim Jarrett out of Washington, D.C. made his planned stop in Columbia on Friday. The trip was a part of a tour for Jarrett that will take him to South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee. Jarrett hit USC on Friday and was at Georgia on Saturday before continuing on his tour, which he dubbed an “elimination tour” on social media.
Back in December, Jarrett unveiled a top six that consisted of Alabama, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Southern Cal, and Tennessee. Yet that list seemed to be quite fluid, and others have also been in the mix in the months since. Coming into the trip to South Carolina, Jarrett is a prospect that could rightfully have been classified as a long shot for the Gamecocks. The feedback we received is that Jarrett was impressed with what he saw on campus, and that perhaps South Carolina made enough of an impression to garner a return stop at some point. That would be a key for South Carolina to be able to sustain consideration on his list; we will monitor going forward to see if it is something that ultimately will take place.
*** Georgia defensive tackle Makius Scott made his second trip of the calendar year to South Carolina on Saturday and recapped it with GamecockCentral.com here.
There were some questions from GamecockCentral.com subscribers recently as to whether or not Scott was a take for the South Carolina staff, given some of the other options on the board. We were told this weekend that he indeed is, should he want to pull the trigger. Anyone who follows recruiting under Will Muschamp knows that in some regard the board is constantly evolving, but that is an accurate picture of where it stands right now.
*** The sons of two former Southeast college football standouts were on campus over the weekend visiting, and while neither appears to be on the offer board at this time, the trips are still noteworthy.
Former Tennessee defensive lineman Chuck Smith’s son, Chuck Smith Jr., is a 6-foot-3, 245-pound lineman from North Gwinnett in Georgia who was on campus on Saturday.
Likewise, former FSU wide receiver Peter Warrick was in Columbia with his son, Peter Warrick Jr., visiting over the weekend.
*** One name to file away for the future that visited on Saturday is Virginia 2021 linebaker Isi Etute. South Carolina’s staff has done quite well in getting in early on prospects in its recruiting footprint, and Etute could be one that fits that bill. He carries an early offer from Old Dominion but could see his stock rise in the future. He’s 6-foot-3, 195 pounds and physically impressive.
*** At running back, Georgia’s Jahmyr Gibbs appears to have had a quality visit to South Carolina over the weekend. We have not caught up with him yet, and our understanding in speaking with some sources is that he’s difficult even for those involved in his recruitment to reach him at times.
Gibbs’ film is certainly quite good and caught the attention of college coaches around the Southeast.
*** Another target out of Georgia, Kobe Pryor, has long been a prospect USC has looked to lure to campus for a visit. It’s appeared close to happening at some point but has not materialized to date. Pryor has often said that USC’s staff is among the shortlist of programs recruiting him the hardest.
The three-star back is slated to visit Georgia this coming weekend, and it’s safe to say that the in-state Dawgs may hold the cards here, should Kirby Smart and company decide to extend an offer. Beyond that, South Carolina is a program in which Pryor seems to have legitimate interest. Auburn and Clemson are also substantial players.
*** At one time, the behind the scenes feedback on four-star offensive lineman Tate Ratledge was more positive for South Carolina than originally thought in terms of the potential for USC to get him on campus this spring or summer for an official visit. That has died down some, with most of the buzz surrounding Georgia here. Ratledge told UGASports.com this weekend that he has the best relationship with UGA offensive line coach Sam Pittman. Tennessee has family ties here and is also in the mix. For USC, Eric Wolford has been persistent and done nice work in an effort to get Ratledge on campus for that aforementioned official. We’ll just have to see if it ultimately materializes and if USC could make a move from there.
*** There was some surprise in coaching circles when Georgia wide receiver Ze’Vian Capers decided to go ahead and make an early pledge to Arkansas earlier this year. South Carolina had nabbed the advantage after a stop on campus, and there was some buzz that Capers would soon commit to the Gamecocks. He then visited Auburn, and all that came out of the wash was a commitment to the Razorbacks. 10 days later, he was on Georgia Tech’s campus visiting, signaling that this one was likely not over.
Indeed, it’s not, as Capers has continued communicating with other programs. South Carolina is one, and right now the Gamecocks have the lone official visit scheduled for Capers. That will take place on April 26.
*** Another big visit for USC taking place that same weekend of April 26 is that of Alabama offensive lineman Javion Cohen. The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder has frequently cited his relationship – and his family’s – with offensive line coach Eric Wolford as a driving force behind his interest in the Gamecocks. Alabama recently offered and should be a major factor as well, but there’s some buzz regarding USC’s chances here.
Rivals.com regional analyst Chad Simmons submitted a FutureCast for Cohen in favor of the Gamecocks on Sunday night.
*** Perhaps the most eye-opening moment of the weekend was an appearance by Hammond five-star defensive lineman Jordan Burch at South Carolina’s practice on Saturday. Burch was joined by his mother on the visit, and Burch spent ample time paying close attention during the practice to assistant coach Mike Peterson’s group during the day.
Let’s strike a contrast between Burch’s recruitment and that of USC’s 2019 five-star defensive line addition from within the state, Zacch Pickens. While both recruitments were similarly walled off from the media, with neither opting to grant interviews except on rare occasions, Pickens’ recruitment came to a conclusion much more quickly – albeit behind the scenes.
Pickens did not publicly pledge to the Gamecocks until May, but by then South Carolina’s staff (and our subscribers) knew that the Gamecocks held a substantial edge. Pickens made a visit to Clemson as late as that spring, but the writing was already on the wall in USC’s favor early in the year, in January.
Burch’s recruitment could end this summer with a commitment, but according to multiple sources the destination is not settled. Yes, we are plenty aware of all the Clemson talk that has seemed to take on a life of its own. For a prospect and family that’s so very guarded with how much it said and how it’s said, it’s downright bizarre the amount of folks claiming to have a direct source outlining Burch’s future intentions.
We’re more inclined to believe the reality – that not even folks much more intimately involved in Burch’s process on any side know what he will do with reasonable certainty. One facet we feel confident on, based on our feedback, is this: it would be hard for anyone to argue against the fact that Will Muschamp has been more involved than any other coach (assistant or otherwise) in Burch’s recruitment. USC’s head man has done an outstanding job with the family, and that should not be discounted. Clemson is not projecting the level of supreme confidence that some on the periphery appear to regarding the Tigers’ chances, we are told, and there are plenty of reasons to also be encouraged regarding USC’s standing.
There’s still a ways to go to sort this one out, with the next potentially pivotal event being spring games for both Clemson and South Carolina on April 6. Burch has not made his intentions known yet as to which he will attend. In our estimation, it’s fair to say this recruitment is one that reasonably could still go either way. Based on our information, it’s tough to buy the talk that the Tigers are the overwhelming favorite.
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