Georgia ATH Derwin Burgess is a South Carolina Gamecock
THE SITUATION: Over two dozen schools offered Derwin Burgess, a versatile athlete out of Riverdale (Ga.). He had some offers to play wide receivers, some schools envisioned him as a safety in college, and others just recruited him as an athlete. His heart has always been on offense, and although he said it did not play a huge role in his decision, it only helped the South Carolina Gamecocks beat out schools like Georgia Tech, Indiana and Troy for his commitment.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: "There wasn't a final two or anything like that, but I considered all 25 offers, and due to the coronavirus, I wasn't able to visit schools, cut the list down and all that, so I just have South Carolina on top," said Burgess.
"South Carolina just won out. How they recruited me, how they made me feel special, how they talked to me, and even when I was on my visit earlier this year, they made me feel like I was already part of the team. They just gave me that feeling.
"When I went up there, I got that feeling. It was different. I got to see everything, I spent time with the coaches, and that visit is really when I started to feel like South Carolina could be that school for me.
"I have known for a month or so that I was going to South Carolina. I was just thinking about it a lot, and I just kept thinking about South Carolina. My conscious was constantly telling me South Carolina, then hearing what the coaches had to say, it just led me this way.
"Coach Will Muschamp has really recruited me hard himself. When the head coach recruits someone like that, it means something. He texts me every morning, he makes sure I know it is him texting me and he has shown me how important I am to him and to South Carolina.
"He, coach Mike Bobo, Joe Cox and really all the coaches made it clear that they want and need players like me there. They told me that over the phone, when I was on the visit, they showed me they needed me and that meant a lot.
"This decision means a lot to me. It is a blessing to commit to a school like South Carolina and to be able to say I am going to play in the SEC, but it is not over yet. I still have a lot to do and I am going to keep that chip on my shoulder until I take care of my family and put them in a great situation. It is exciting to be committing, but I am far from done."
WHO IT HURTS MOST: Georgia Tech is the biggest loser here. The Yellow Jackets were viewed as a favorite at one time in the spring, and some thought it was over not too long ago with Burgess staying home, but he decided to get out of state and play at South Carolina. Georgia Tech put a lot of effort into his recruitment and most think they finished second, but so this is not an easy loss for those on the Flats.
WHY SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE PLEASED: Burgess is a versatile athlete with the ability to make plays on both sides of the ball. He has played all over the field in high school, but the Gamecocks wants Burgess to line up at wide receiver and make plays for them on offense. He has a very good feel for the game. He is quick, sneaky fast with a nice burst when he gets the ball and he plays with that edge. On offense, he plays with a defensive mentality and a toughness. As an offensive player, he can be used in the slot, on the outside, on jet sweeps and he could be used out of the backfield. Burgess has great ball skills and he will be a player that can compete for early playing time in Columbia.