Big weekend ahead
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Current pledges make visits
A large group of firmly committed prospects from the class of 2015 is set to hit Columbia this weekend to make official visits just two weeks before signing day.
Leading off the slate is Summerville (South Carolina) offensive lineman Zack Bailey. The Lowcountry product was one of the biggest risers in the final release of the 2015 Rivals100, moving up 47 spots into the country's top 75 prospects nationally regardless of position. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder is a physical interior lineman that has been solid to the Gamecocks since his commitment in August. The biggest order of business for Bailey this weekend figures to be furthering his friendship with fellow Gamecock pledges as well as three uncommitted offensive line prospects that are being targeted by the South Carolina staff.
Another in-state product, defensive lineman Shameik Blackshear has not been talked about as much as some of the other prospects in the class due to a season-ending knee injury he sustained last year. However, the four-star prospect has an upside that still made him a substantial early get from a talent standpoint for USC when he committed to the Gamecocks last May. Alabama, Clemson, Florida, FSU, Georgia, Louisville, Tennessee, and others were in with offers to Blackshear when he made a surprising early commitment to USC. It's a pledge that Blackshear has held ever since, and he appears completely firm to the Gamecocks.
USC moved in quickly on junior college defensive back Toure Boyd earlier in the month, and once his academics checked out the Gamecock staff was able to secure a commitment sight-unseen from the Alabama native. The need for a physical safety that can play early next season became a priority for USC in 2015, and Boyd certainly fits that bill. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder did not draw a big offer list during the recruiting process but is all over the place on film and appears to be someone that can help immediately in Columbia.
Local kicker Joseph Charlton has a big leg, and that could help him contribute early as a kickoff specialist for USC. The Gamecock staff is also eyeing him as a potential punter at some point during his career in Columbia.
Maryland's Jalen Christian drew a lengthy list of scholarship offers during the recruiting process, but the Gamecocks jumped out to an early lead due to getting him on campus in the spring for a multi-day visit. The four-star athlete committed to USC back in May and projects as a wide receiver in the Carolina offense. While not a speed burner, Christian is quick and very good in space and could contribute as a slot-type receiver or return man in Columbia.
North Carolina native Devante Covington originally signed with South Carolina in the 2013 class. After he failed to qualify academically, the Gamecock staff placed him at Georgia Military College with designs on adding him to the fold down the road. While USC kept its placement of Covington relatively quiet, only coming to light earlier in the month, he's been part of the plan for a while now.
USC aimed for a smaller back and a bigger back in the 2015 class and Georgia's Mon Denson is certainly the latter. While he did not draw the recruiting profile of some of USC's past acquisitions at the position, Denson nonetheless had a nice list of offers and has an intriguing skill set. After jumping onto USC's radar during the summer, he worked out at USC's Gamecock Showcase camp last July and earned a firm offer. He took it days later and has been steady in his pledge since.
Another Georgia product, linebacker Daniel Fennell, could be classified as a pleasant surprise for USC. After picking up a late offer in November, things progressed quickly. It was originally thought that Fennell would take a full slate of official visits, but he shut things down early after an in-home visit with recruiter G.A. Mangus. Fennell will likely start his career as a WILL linebacker for the Gamecocks.
Georgia athlete Octavis Johnson has kept a low profile since his pledge to USC and is not a prospect that talks with the media often. That does not diminish his value as a prospect, though. Johnson could play multiple positions in college, and committed to USC over the summer as an athlete. USC is eyeing him as a potential SPUR linebacker, but it would not be a surprise to see him with the ball in his hands at some point on special teams or receiver if USC decided to go in that direction. On film, he certainly looks capable.
Missouri's Kyle Markway is outside of USC's normal recruiting footprint, but is finding his way to Columbia to place college ball anyways. A hard worker and character kid, Markway is a solid blocker with a defensive background and was better than expected catching the ball at USC's Gamecock Showcase camp over the summer.
For several months after his commitment to USC, Georgia's Dexter Neal placed his commitment status at anything but 100 percent. In recent weeks that has settled down, although it's always been thought that he would end up signing with the Gamecocks as planned. Also a talented baseball player, Neal is a solid athlete with some size at the receiver position that looks to be a good fit in the offense.
Dual-threat quarterbacks are en vogue around the country, and with all the success that Connor Shaw had in the USC offense some are anxious to get a look at another signal-caller of that ilk. Although not a finished product as a passer, Lorenzo Nunez has a unique set of skills at the position. He's not only athletic, but has some legitimate speed that makes him a threat to scramble out of trouble and run some designed plays on the ground as well. As a summer enrollee, it's not likely that Nunez will be ready to take the reins in year one but USC is preparing to potentially play him some as a change of pace in 2015. The more time that Nunez can spend around the program prior to his arrival, the better.
Tight end Connor Redmond could be classified as more of an under the radar prospect during the recruiting process, as he did not attract a flurry of high-level offers. South Carolina was sold fairly early on Redmond, who has good size and is a willing blocker and able pass-catcher. Redmond plays at one of Georgia's top programs in Archer, which also holds 2016 commitment Kyle Davis and other underclass talent that USC is chasing.
Dante Sawyer is a holdover from the 2014 class, and one that is expected to make an early impact next season at defensive end. As a high school prospect, Sawyer was an All-American talent. His academic situation necessitated a stop through junior college, but he got out of high school early and went to junior college early in order to accelerate his timeframe. That process will allow him to enroll this summer.
Given that USC's second running back pledge, AJ Turner, has been committed since July and relatively quiet since then it figured that there was no drama in his recruitment. While nothing was really discussed publicly, the Virginia product did give second thoughts at times to his early choice. Specifically, Turner told GamecockCentral.com recently that Michigan State, Ohio State, and Oregon all gave him pause but recently he firmed up his commitment and is now completely set on USC. This official visit will be Turner's first trip to campus in a while and should only help his status with the Gamecocks leading into signing day.
Georgia safety Antoine Wilder took just minutes to commit to USC over the summer after picking up an offer in camp. His only other official visit came last weekend to Tennessee State. The three-star sleeper is firm to the Gamecocks and nothing has materialized with taking other official visits to some higher profile programs as once planned.
Holding on
Ever since Fort Lauderdale (Florida) St. Thomas Aquinas defensive back Damon Arnette committed to the Gamecocks back in July, he has been eyeing taking several official visits. At one time it looked like Kentucky, Louisville, and Ohio State would be the beneficiaries but the emergence of another Big Ten program and another pair of schools dropping off Arnette's list changed that.
After Jim Harbaugh was hired as the Wolverines' new head man, Michigan jumped in with an offer and secured an official visit that took place last weekend. USC gets its shot with the three-star defender this weekend, and as of now Arnette plans his final visit to Columbus to check out Ohio State just days before National Signing Day.
Offensive line is a big positional need in this recruiting class, particularly at tackle. That makes holding on to current pledge Christian Pellage a huge priority. Florida jumped in late after Jim McElwain's hiring and secured an official visit. The good news for USC is that the coaching staff conducted an in-home the day after that trip wrapped up, and also get the last visit of the process for Pellage.
Another prospect that USC has competition for down the stretch is Alabama's Quandeski Whitlow. His commitment to USC came relatively quickly, and he's always eyed other official visits. Louisville got one this past weekend, and USC is sandwiched between that one and a planned trip to Florida a few days before signing day. Each time that Whitlow has visited with USC's coaching staff or been on campus he seems to come away with a new "commitment" to his pledge and the Gamecock staff will hope that's the case after this weekend.
Targeting the rest
Although the majority of the visitors slated to be on campus this weekend are either prospects that are solidly committed to USC or current verbals that the staff hopes to keep on the commitment list, there are several uncommitted prospects that are targets for USC.
The headliner of the group is Georgia DE Arden Key, who has already been a member of USC's 2015 class twice. After an initial commitment to the Gamecocks in the summer of 2013, he backed off the pledge that November to reopen the recruiting process. Last summer, he committed once again to USC only to decommit for a second time earlier this month. To say Key enjoys the recruiting process would be an understatement. Whether or not he's been committed to USC, he has kept in contact with other programs and always planned on taking severa official visits. Key has been to LSU and Miami, and South Carolina will represent his third official visit. The rest of his slate has changed several times but Auburn is currently slated to get his final official.
Despite decommitting twice already, believe it or not USC is still in strong contention for Key. His public comments are not always worth taking into heavy consideration given the way he's used the media as a smokescreen, but he has said the Gamecocks remain number one. Privately, the feedback has been that USC is still the strongest contender too. For the Gamecocks, the biggest obstacle is the visits to other schools; namely LSU and Auburn.
Click Here to view this Link.Georgia's Trey DerouenClick Here to view this Link. picked up an offer later in the process from USC, and was joined in that pursuit by Louisville (who hosted him on campus last weekend) and Florida. The Gators have not pulled the trigger yet, but as of now Florida is scheduled to get an official visit next weekend. Derouen is due in Columbia on Friday for the weekend, and with an offer in hand may be someone that the staff tries to score a commitment from in advance of that planned trip to Gainesville to try to shut the process down.
While not technically a 2015 class prospect, Wake Forest transfer Cory Helms is a take for the Gamecocks as an interior offensive lineman. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder has already visited Mississippi State and Texas A&M and will be on campus in Columbia beginning on Friday. USC has had very productive conversations with since jumping in with an offer, and USC's conference affiliation plus proximity to home are both attractive to Helms. This visit could go a long way towards determining whether Helms will ultimately become a Gamecock.
USC would like to add one more high school cornerback to the 2015 class to finish up recruiting at the defensive back position and one that fits that profile will be among the group of uncommitted visitors on campus this weekend. Miami (Florida) Carol City's Rashad Fenton has picked up some late steam with Auburn, Florida, and South Carolina. Last fall Fenton named the Gamecocks as his leader, but things have picked up between the two parties lately. The south Florida product was at Florida for an official visit last weekend, and plans on closing out the recruiting process with trips to South Carolina and Auburn.
