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*** Back in March, the NCAA instituted an in-person recruiting dead period due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has continued up to the present, leaving prospects, coaches, and everyone involved in the dark as to when visits could resume.
Some prospects have gotten creative and chosen to travel to some schools on their own dime to walk around the campus, see facilities and stadiums from an outside view, and the like. With those types of “visits”, prospects are not permitted to interact with coaches from the schools and are limited in access to facilities. It is, though, better than nothing.
GamecockCentral.com has learned that one of the nation’s top running backs in the 2022 class actually traveled south recently and took a peek at Columbia while in town.
Rivals250 member Tevin White out of Stafford (Virginia) North Stafford checked out campus over the weekend.
We are told that White has been in communication with running backs coach Des Kitchings since picking up an offer in the summer and that the two hit it off. Georgia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Tennessee are a few of the other programs to watch with White, but South Carolina should have at least an early seat at the table here.
White also has a close relationship with Virginia 2023 back Ike Daniels, another Gamecock offer out of that state.
*** Back to the 2021 class momentarily…
With four-star tight end Michael Trigg committing to Southern California, that is a situation that we will likely be tracking for at least a while longer. Early returns in the days around that verbal pledge indicated that it looks like Trigg will wait until the later (February) signing period to ink a letter of intent.
South Carolina was heavily in the game there, but the late trip that Trigg took out west to check out Los Angeles proved too much in the end.
The Gamecock staff will stay in contact here, and the other tight end on the board to watch is North Carolina legacy product Bryson Nesbit.
*** Wes Mitchell had more on the Antario Brown situation on The Insiders Forum the day it happened, but that’s prompted questions as to what South Carolina could end up doing with that slot in the 2021 class.
It should be noted that USC’s already “up against it”, so to speak, in terms of scholarship allotment, although that’s without knowing what the NCAA may do with the limits for next season after granting everyone in college football a free year of eligibility.
Recall that South Carolina, after signing three backs in the 2020 class, entered the 2021 cycle eyeing just one back. The staff took Brown’s pledge as a complement to Caleb McDowell because it really liked his game, but as Wes said, you have to manage your numbers in a way that makes sense.
We are told that it’s possible South Carolina could take another back in this class, but only if it’s a talented player that the staff believes could help. It’s not critical that one is added from a numbers standpoint.
*** There are two prospects with ties to FSU that remain of interest to the Gamecocks in the ’21 recruiting class.
The first is Jacksonville’s Branden Jennings, who backed off his pledge to the Seminoles and reopened the process this week.
While Jennings did not come up a great deal during the process previously – and he had been committed to the Seminoles since February – we did feel inclined to reach out to see if there was a South Carolina angle here. The Gamecocks, of course, have had a couple irons in the fire for a third linebacker commitment in this class.
Here’s what one knowledgeable source told us:
“I know for a fact he really likes Will Muschamp.”
The way it was put to us, it’s still a bit too early to know which programs may end up having the best shot here, although numerous ones have already reached out in the hours since Jennings decommitted.
*** We have mentioned another Noles-related product here previously in defensive back candidate Omarion Cooper.
For his part, Cooper remains verbally committed to FSU, but he’s made no secret of the fact that his recruitment is open. He reiterated this fact to GamecockCentral.com this week.
Cooper speaks on a regular basis with Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and seems intrigued by the opportunity at South Carolina.
*** Any follow-up questions or something I didn't address that you'd like me to address? Let me know.
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