Top TE Oscar Delp 'blown away' on South Carolina official
Top Gamecocks' tight end target Oscar Delp's much-anticipated official visit to South Carolina has come and gone and it sounds like it couldn't have gone much better.
“It was awesome," Delp said. "I was really blown away. I’m definitely leaving with way higher expectations than I came in with. I really loved everything about it. It was really awesome talking with the coaches and the players. I’m really glad I came by here.”
The Cumming (Ga.) West Forsyth standout has an array of connections to the school. His mother, Mary, graduated from the University of South Carolina and his grandparents still live in the Columbia area.
“It definitely did (feel like home)," Delp said. "I was walking around and were people stopping me outside who just knew who I was taking pictures. It was really cool. They had my name up there on all the boards. It had that home feeling. The way I was treated was just insane. I wasn’t expecting it to be like that. I was really awesome.”
Delp has been prioritized by tight ends coach Erik Kimrey since the moment the Columbia native was hired by the Gamecocks. As much as the two have talked during the recruiting process, this was their first opportunity to meet in person due to the recruiting shutdown that lasted until the beginning of June.
“We have a really natural relationship," Delp said. "I had great conversations with him all weekend. Everything felt super natural. I feel like I’ve known him for a really long time. It didn’t feel like the first time seeing him in person.”
A big part of Kimrey's message was how the tight end will be featured in Carolina's offense and how someone with Delp's skillset could rack up big numbers in the tight-end-friendly scheme.
“The way they use tight ends is crazy," he said. "I didn’t realize how much of a focal point it was in their offense. They were breaking down film today and they think for me a bad season would be 60 catches. It’s crazy how much I could get the ball in that offense and the way they were drawing up plays. I really think if I came here I could get the ball a lot and make plays.”
The 6-foot-4, 222-pounder was hosted on the trip by fellow Georgia native Colte Gauthier but he spent time with multiple South Carolina players.
“I was talking with him back and forth and really I was with all the guys," Delp said. "It was him, Luke Doty and Nick Muse. We were all three hanging out together. Colten was the main guy on paper but I was with all of them. I was messaging with them back and forth on social media but to get to see them in person they were pretty cool dudes.”
Delp has now taken official visits to South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Michigan.
The nation's No. 2 tight end at one point had talked about committing in December, but now says it might be much sooner.
“I don’t (have a date). I talked about doing it on Sept. 30, my mom’s birthday, if I want to wait that long. The next step moving forward is to take a step back from everything, evaluate everything and maybe come to a decision closer than Sept. 30. I’m not sure. Whenever the time’s right, I think I’ll pull the trigger.”
“I think after settling for a couple weeks, what I feel in my gut, where home is and where I want to be the next four years. That’s going to make or break where I go.”
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