Five-star Zacch Pickens on commitment: 'I felt like I was home'
The state's top overall prospect decided not to wait.
Originally planning to make his decision towards the end of his senior season, Anderson (S.C.) T.L. Hanna class of 2019 five-star defensive end Zacch Pickens committed to South Carolina Friday.
"I just committed to South Carolina," Pickens said, confirming the news. "It was just somewhere I felt like I was home and they took me in and I totally respect that. I've known for a long time, a long time."
It was a team recruiting effort from the Gamecocks as head coach Will Muschamp, defensive line coach Lance Thompson, defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler all had a strong role in landing the nation's No. 16 overall prospect.
"It's a pretty tight relationship, we text like every day," Pickens said of Muschamp. "He says he's going to play me right away when I'm a freshman and that made me want to jump on board."
Pickens will take his official visit to South Carolina the first weekend of June.
"It feels better [to be committed]," Pickens said. "It relieves all of the stress, everything is over and I feel confident in what I picked. I'm going to try to recruit all my boys there."
Pickens was last on South Carolina's campus earlier this spring for a cookout event.
Pickens, considered the No. 3 strongside defensive end in the country by Rivals, chooses South Carolina over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech and West Forest.
It was believed throughout the process that Clemson and Georgia were the two other top contenders.
Pickens is the 12th commitment to Carolina's 2019 class.