Four-star Dylan Lonergan previews South Carolina unofficial visit

Dylan Lonergan has spent the entirety of his high-level recruitment almost exclusively virtual, but that changes soon.

Lonergan, the No. 32 player in the country for the 2023 class is getting ready to embark on his first big tour of schools as visits open back up for prospects and is ready for what this summer gauntlet will bring.

“Definitely really excited to get to see coaches I’ve been talking to over the phone for a while,” Lonergan said. “Just get to see places I haven’t seen yet and see where I’ll fit best.”

One of the schools he’s locked into visiting is South Carolina, which will host the four-star quarterback for an unofficial camp visit June 3.

There, he’ll be able to meet head coach Shane Beamer and quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield for the first time since Beamer took the job in December.

Lonergan’s done a few virtual visits with the Gamecock staff already but this will be the first time he’s really been able to sit down and meet in-person.

“Just to see the type of coaches together and how we bond together for sure,” he said. “I’ve been on zoom with them a couple times. They’re talking about how they’ve done the two-sport thing before and really like how I play the game and love watching my film.”

A two-sport star at Brookwood (Ga.) High School, Lonergan is also getting interest on the baseball side of things, with the Gamecocks open to him playing both sports if he were to choose South Carolina.

PerfectGame rates him as the No. 12 player in the 2023 class and the No. 4 right-handed pitcher with a fastball touching 92 miles per hour paired with a knuckle curveball.

Because of his year in school he’s not able to text back and forth yet with the staff but has had a few calls with recruiting coordinator Trip Couch.

Lonergan isn’t sure yet if his visit to Columbia will include a visit over to the baseball facility.

“We got on FaceTime one time and went through the (baseball) facility,” Lonergan said. “It’s really nice, obviously. I just can’t wait to see it in person.”

Lonergan said he already has visits set up to Alabama, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State and Ohio State along with his early-June trek to Columbia.

The plan, he said is to narrow down his list over the next few months once he has visits under his belt and is eyeing a decision sometime next summer, typically when quarterbacks begin committing for their recruiting cycles.

“Coaches for sure but facilities play a little part in that but seeing where I feel at home, you know?” Lonergan said of what he’s looking for in a school.

This season, while battling some injuries preventing him from playing a full season, Lonergan threw for 2,249 yards and 20 touchdowns to six interceptions while completing almost 65 percent of his passes as a sophomore. He also rushed for 304 yards and five scores.

“On the football field I definitely think I have a good football IQ,” he said. “I know what to do with the ball and I’m definitely athletic enough to make plays when the pocket breaks down.”