Recruiting out of the way, Roderick focusing on football

With his commitment last month to the Gamecocks out of the way, Summerville (S.C.) Cane Bay three-star safety RJ Roderick is now completely focused on preparing for his senior season and ultimately enrolling at South Carolina in January.

"It's easier now, because I can just focus on doing whatever I need to do, especially with a position change, I can get practice in, get footwork in and study," Roderick said. "I'm also putting in that work in the the weight room and getting ready for the season and possibly having one of the best ones I think I'll ever have."

The 6-foot, 205-pound Roderick will play both ways at quarterback and defensive back for Cane Bay this season before transitioning to defense full-time in Columbia.

Roderick, who chose the Gamecocks over offers from Georgia Tech, Duke, N.C. State, UNC, Virginia, ECU and Wake Forest, among others, believes his time running his high school's offense will help as his transitions to defense.

"As a quarterback, you know what you're looking at progression-wise, you know tendencies," Roderick said. "I won't really be fazed by (the transition) because I'll already know what's coming a lot of times, so it's just a matter of stopping it."

Roderick will play safety and possibly nickelback for head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson. He's already been in Columbia earlier this summer working out for the two coaches and learning college-level techniques at the position.

"That's one of the greatest things you can ever do [as a player], especially with such a big college, being recruited, being committed," Roderick said. "Of course, knowing your coach on and off the field, knowing their coaching style and knowing what type of person they are. That's one of the big reasons I keep coming back -- I can't stay away -- just being in the atmosphere with them and being coached by them, that's something that you can't say no to."

Roderick will be back on campus Saturday for the Gamecocks' recruiting cookout and plans to graduate from Cane Bay in December in order to enroll at South Carolina in January.

"This class is really going to take off," Roderick said. "I mean, you'll see this season, but I think after the 2018 class gets here, it will really be a game-changer and I think that's what's really going to excel this program to what it used to be and it's only up from there."