Meet South Carolina's early enrollees
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
The Gamecocks are set to welcome in their first wave of the 2020 class this week with the early-enrollee section of the class arriving this week before the semester starts.
Of the 17 players who signed in December, 10 are scheduled to set foot on campus this week with a few potential game-changers in the mix as well.
Before they do and before the semester starts Jan. 13, meet the 10 guys who are coming in this week.
Luke Doty, QB
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
School: Myrtle Beach (S.C.)
Senior info: 64 completion %; 1,876 passing yards; 408 rushing yards; 29 total TDs
What Will Muschamp said: “He was at Myrtle Beach High School and played for Mickey Wilson. He won a state championship, his first year as a starter, and was on his way to another state championship but unfortunately hurt his hand. He’ll be fully recovered when he steps on campus in January. He’s a guy who’s a 36-inch vertical leaper with an over 10-foot broad (jump). He’s in the low 4.5s and can really spin it. The thing to me that really jumps out at Luke is when he’s on campus. You watch him interact with his team in 7-on-7s when Mickey brings his guys to our 7-on-7 camps. His leadership ability to positively affect other people really is contagious. That’s something that really jumps out at you. He’s a winner…we’re really excited to have Luke. Bobby and Melanie, his parents, were great through the entire process. We’re really looking forward to getting him on campus."
O’Donnell Fortune, DB
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 172 pounds
School: Sumter (S.C.)
Senior info: 42 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 INT
What Will Muschamp said: “He came to camp and earned the scholarship. His testing numbers were outstanding and very comparable to the combine in Indianapolis as far as his length is concerned along with his size and change of direction and his speed. I think all three of the DBs we signed could play corner, could play safety or could play nickel or could play dime. They all have the intelligence, the athleticism and the speed on the top end to finish outside. We’re certainly excited to get him in for spring ball. He played for Mark Barnes, and I actually signed John Bullard when I was at Florida from coach Barnes over at Sumter high school. He was over there at Shelby at the time. It’s great to have O’Donnell in our program.
Dominick Hill, DB
Height/weight: 6-foot, 188 pounds
School: Jones (Fla.)
Senior info: 30 tackles, 6 INT
What Will Muschamp said: “Dominick just competed for the state championship. They lost to Northwestern High School out of Miami…He’s a state runner up. Elijah Williams was his coach and a guy I have a lot of respect for…He’s been committed to us for a long time. A lot of schools took some shots. He tested extremely well. He’s a 40-plus triple jumper, a 20-plus long jump and a high-jump of 6-4 or 6-5. He’s a very explosive guy we’re excited about.”
Trai Jones, OL
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 276 pounds
School: Abbeville (S.C.)
Senior stats: N/A, All-State offensive lineman as a senior
What Will Muschamp said: “He played for Jamie Nichols over there and I think they lost their first home game in six years when Saluda went over there and beat them. It’s a perennial state championship team. He understands about winning and understands about work. It’s really a neat story. He came to camp. He’s got 34-inch arms but he’s only about 6-2. You start to question yourself about height, this, that and the other but he runs a 4.6 at 290 pounds. He’s as powerful a guy on our team. He’ll be a 600-pound squatter and a 300-plus pound power clinger coming out of high school. You don’t see that sometimes with big guys. He’s very flexible in his lower body. He came to our camp and really earned the scholarship in camp…Athletic ability wise for an offensive lineman is off the charts. He’ll be a center or guard for us when he gets on campus.”
Mohamed Kaba, LB
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 183 pounds
School: Clinton (N.C.)
Senior info: Tore ACL early in senior season
What Will Muschamp said: “He tore his ACL in the first ball game of the year but when we started evaluating linebackers and looking at the 2020 class, he was number one on our board as far as his athleticism and the physicality he played with and his contact speed and his short area quickness to engage. He’s another mid-year enrollee. Cory Johnson, his coach up there, has done a fantastic job with him as far as training and developing him. We’re excited to get him back on campus.”
Also see: More on Burch, recruiting thoughts
Vershon Lee, OL
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 300 pounds
School: Freedom (Va.)
Senior info: First team All-District as a senior
What Will Muschamp said: “We targeted him early in the process. Eric Wolford and I were recruiting Jakai Moore and we went to go see him during the day and then play basketball at night. We watched Vershon play basketball and I knew then. I said, ‘This guy athletically is what we’re looking for.’ He’s 6-4 with 34-inch arms, great length and athleticism. He’s got a huge upside as a player.
MarShawn Lloyd, RB
Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 211 pounds
School: DeMatha (Md.)
Senior info: Team captain, selected for the Opening Finals
What Will Muschamp said: “He committed in May of last year and never waivered. He had everybody in the country on him. He’s very explosive in his lower body. He’s a 36-inch vertical leap guy at 215 pounds. He’s got great lateral change of direction and great vision. He’s a tough, hard runner. Thomas brown did a fantastic job recruiting MarShawn…His mom was awesome in the process and Martin Gibson, who was his running backs coach at DeMatha, they were very supportive through the entire process but a wonderful family. They came back this weekend and we’re really excited about MarShawn. He is mid-year again.”
Jazston Turnetine, OL
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 337 pounds
School: Hutchinson Community College (Ga.)
Senior stats:
What Will Muschamp said: “He’s a guy from Hutchinson Junior College who’s 6-7, 340 (pounds) with 36-inch arms. He’s a massive human being. He can really move his feet, bend in his lower body and we tracked him out of high school. He was at Stockbridge High School and played for Kevin Whitley there in Georgia and went to Hutch and had a fantastic career…He’s a guy we’re really excited about."
Also see: The good and the bad from non-conference play
Tyshawn Wannamaker, OL
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 347 pounds
School: Calhoun County (S.C.)
Senior info: First team All-State
What Will Muschamp said: “He’s from Calhoun County, right down the road. Again, he’s another powerful guy inside. Trai and Tyshawn aren’t guys who go to a bunch of camps, so they’re not going to get rated high but we feel like inside player wise they’re as good of guys we’ve seen on tape all year. He’s 6-foot-4, 350 (pounds). He’s got 34-inch arms and a guy you look at and he looks 280. That’s what you want guys to look like. He’s got great mass on him, great camp numbers. Melissa and Thomas, his parents, have been wonderful through this entire process. They’re Gamecocks all the way. Matter of fact, Alshon (Jeffery) texted me today before I came in this meeting to congratulate me for getting another great player from Calhoun County.”
Mike Wyman, WR
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 188 pounds
School: Dudley (N.C.)
Senior info: 26 catches, 465 yards
What Will Muschamp said: “Mike is a big receiver, a guy we had in camp two years ago. Coach Davis at Dudley does an outstanding job. Mike and his mom Bonnie have been with us since day one. They committed here and it’s been a good process. He’s a state champion as a junior and a mid-year enrollee. He’s a big target and a guy that catches the ball extremely well. I’m excited about Mike and his future here at the University of South Carolina.”
