Four-star DE Dante Sawyer has announced a commitment to South Carolina.
This is a big pickup for the Gamecock staff. Defensive end was a big priority coming into this recruiting class with the departure of Chaz Sutton and Jadeveon Clowney and a lack of experience, depth, and size returning next season. USC has set out to recruit and try to sign some defensive ends with size that can play early and Sawyer fits that bill.
I watched Sawyer play in a preseason game this year against Stephenson that featured a lot of Division I talent and both schools seemed to treat it almost as a regular season game until the fourth quarter. Sawyer was all over the place. Physically, he already looks the part of someone that could see early playing time. The thing I like the most about him was his aggressiveness and motor. He frequently ran plays down from the backside or chased the ball carrier all the way across the field to try to make a tackle. While most think of him as a pass-rusher (and he is strong in that area) he also impressed me with his ability to play the run.
Sawyer's stock has risen after a big senior year capped off by helping his team to an appearance in the state title game. He had an interception in that game as well. He does have some academic work to do but can make it and I'm sure North Gwinnett and South Carolina will both put a plan in place to help him down that path. We will keep everyone updated on that front as it develops.
USC DL coach Deke Adams was involved here and Sawyer knew him from his time at UNC and thinks highly of him. G.A. Mangus was the lead recruiter and did a very good job. This was an interesting recruitment because things didn't heat up until later in the process but as is often with the case with top-shelf prospects, you have to be willing to recruit them a long time and go until later in the process and that's what Mangus did here. It's no coincidence that a lot of the top prospects USC has signed over the past several cycles has Mangus attached as the lead recruiter.
This post was edited on 12/17 4:57 PM by Chris Clark
This is a big pickup for the Gamecock staff. Defensive end was a big priority coming into this recruiting class with the departure of Chaz Sutton and Jadeveon Clowney and a lack of experience, depth, and size returning next season. USC has set out to recruit and try to sign some defensive ends with size that can play early and Sawyer fits that bill.
I watched Sawyer play in a preseason game this year against Stephenson that featured a lot of Division I talent and both schools seemed to treat it almost as a regular season game until the fourth quarter. Sawyer was all over the place. Physically, he already looks the part of someone that could see early playing time. The thing I like the most about him was his aggressiveness and motor. He frequently ran plays down from the backside or chased the ball carrier all the way across the field to try to make a tackle. While most think of him as a pass-rusher (and he is strong in that area) he also impressed me with his ability to play the run.
Sawyer's stock has risen after a big senior year capped off by helping his team to an appearance in the state title game. He had an interception in that game as well. He does have some academic work to do but can make it and I'm sure North Gwinnett and South Carolina will both put a plan in place to help him down that path. We will keep everyone updated on that front as it develops.
USC DL coach Deke Adams was involved here and Sawyer knew him from his time at UNC and thinks highly of him. G.A. Mangus was the lead recruiter and did a very good job. This was an interesting recruitment because things didn't heat up until later in the process but as is often with the case with top-shelf prospects, you have to be willing to recruit them a long time and go until later in the process and that's what Mangus did here. It's no coincidence that a lot of the top prospects USC has signed over the past several cycles has Mangus attached as the lead recruiter.
This post was edited on 12/17 4:57 PM by Chris Clark
