National Signing Day is seven weeks away (Wednesday, February 1st), and the South Carolina Gamecocks coaching staff is trying to secure the last pieces of the 2012 USC Signing class. Carolina currently has 20 verbal commitments. Four of the verbal commitments plan to enroll early for January 2012 classes. The four players are Brock Stadnik (OL), Clayton Stadnik (OL), Jerrell Adams (TE) and Kelvin Rainey (TE). As of right now, the Gamecocks have 16 scholarships open (I included the two transfers, Mattox & Addison, as well as Kyle Nunn (OL), who probably will not be granted a sixth year of eligibility, along with 14 graduating seniors). Now there is speculation more attrition (possibly RBs Eric Baker & Kenny Miles) will occur post-Capital One Bowl. When the season ended, USC had 84 players on scholarship (one under the limit of 85). Once the Capital One Bowl completes then USC will have 68 players on scholarship. USC is anticipating bringing in at least 23-24 signees on Signing Day. There will be a numbers crunch unless more players decide to pursue football futures outside of Columbia in 2012. It will be interesting to see how Steve Spurrier, Jr. orchestrates the final few scholarship slots for the 2012 recruiting class with extremely little wiggle room.
Here are the final few prospects that bear watching for Gamecocks fans on South Carolina’s Football Recruiting Board:
Cornerback Chaz Elder (Banneker HS, Atlanta, GA): Chaz Elder almost pulled the trigger for USC back in August but held off because he wanted to take visits. Elder has visited USC and Georgia so far with expected trips to Vanderbilt and Arkansas. His favorite school is South Carolina followed by UGA and Vanderbilt. Elder says he will make his announcement at the Under-Armour All-American Game in early January. Elder is a three-star prospect, per 247sports, and is recruited by Lorenzo Ward.
Prediction: South Carolina
Safety Elijah Shumate (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, NJ): Elijah Shumate is a big target on the board for USC. He is friends with USC commit Kaiwan Lewis, as well as USC freshman Sheldon Royster. Shumate has never stated a favorite but it is perceived that USC and Rutgers sit atop his list of college choices. The Garden State native visited Carolina for the Florida game and the experience only cemented the Gamecocks in his top tier. Shumate has already visited USC and Rutgers (top two choices) and plans to visit Notre Dame (Dec. 16th), Oklahoma and Georgia Tech. Shumate has stated that he plans to announce his decision at the Army All-American Game in early January. He is a four-star prospect, per 247sports, and is recruited by G.A. Mangus.
Prediction: South Carolina
Spur Jordan Diggs (Island Coast HS, Cape Coral, FL): Jordan Diggs is a Gamecocks legacy. His father, Shed Diggs, played linebacker for the Gamecocks during the mid-80s. The USC coaching staff has told Diggs that he is the only prospect being recruited to play the Spur position on the Gamecocks defense. The Gamecocks were the presumed leader in the clubhouse, due to Diggs’ family connections to Carolina but up until Jordan Diggs actually stepped foot on campus during the Clemson game for his Official Visit, USC was playing catch-up to a couple of other schools. Diggs has taken all five official visits (Nebraska, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and South Carolina). IMHO, it is down to USC (leader), Nebraska and Vanderbilt. Diggs is a four-star prospect per 247sports and is recruited by G.A. Mangus.
Prediction: South Carolina
Defensive End Tyriq McCord (Jefferson HS, Tampa, FL): Tyriq McCord is a hybrid defensive end/linebacker prospect with a lot of high-level BCS programs chasing his signature. McCord plays at the same high school that former Gamecocks quarterback, Stephen Garcia, played. This is shaping up to be a South Carolina/Florida battle with programs like Miami, Southern Cal, TCU and Georgia on the outside looking in at the other two programs. McCord has stated that he will make all five of his official visits before he decides. He has gone on the record that he plans to make a decision at the Army All-American game in early January but that decision could be delayed if he pursues more official visits. McCord visited USC for the Florida game and that official visit cemented the Gamecocks at the top of his list even more firmly. He visited Miami in early December (2nd). He plans to visit UGA (Dec. 16th), Southern Cal (Jan. 13th) and TCU. The fact that he currently does not plan to officially visit Florida does not bode well for the home state Gators. Anytime a big time recruit does not take an official visit to the in-state school, doubt creeps into the minds of coaches and fans into the genuine interest “said recruit” really has in his state university’s football program. McCord has favored the Gamecocks for a while even prior to his official visit back in November, but that lead has only strengthened, as the Gamecocks and Gators went in opposite directions to end the season. Another factor in Carolina’s corner is the fact that McCord is cousins with USC junior d-lineman Aldrick Fordham. If McCord leaves the sunshine state, he is Columbia bound, if he remains in-state, he heads to Gainesville. McCord is a four-star prospect, per 247 sports, and is recruited by G.A. Mangus.
Prediction: South Carolina
Defensive End Jonathan Bullard (Crest HS, Shelby, NC): Jonathan Bullard is a big defensive end that could grow into a defensive tackle down the road. He plays for Coach Mark Barnes at Crest HS. Barnes coached a trio of current Gamecocks players, Travian Robertson, Byron McKnight and Jay Wooten, when he was the head coach at Scotland County HS in Laurinburg, NC. Three teams stand out for Bullard at the moment: Clemson, Florida and South Carolina (in order of perceived preference by the prospect). Bullard is set to reveal his decision next Wednesday, December 21st. It is believed he will choose Clemson, where his good friend Carlos Watkins is already committed to the Tigers, but do not count out the Florida Gators, where his friend and high school teammate Rhaheim Ledbetter is already committed. Also, remember Crest HS sent former All-American LB Brandon Spikes to Florida; he now plays for the New England Patriots. Steve Spurrier is supposed to make an in-home visit with Bullard’s parents today but the visit is not set in stone. Bullard is a four-star prospect, per 247sports, and is recruited by Shawn Elliott.
Prediction: Clemson
Running Back Mike Davis (Stephenson HS, Stone Mountain, GA): Mike Davis recently came back on the recruiting market after de-committing from the Florida Gators, allegedly following UF’s pursuit of five-star running back Keith Marshall, who committed to UGA last week. USC has maintained constant contact with Davis even after he committed to UF. Davis has two high school teammates, Kyle Fleetwood & Carlos Hood, already committed to South Carolina. Davis is the younger brother of former Clemson Tigers RB Mike Davis and, yes, the Tigers are heavily involved as of recently. Davis has already officially visited Tennessee (Dec 2nd) and has scheduled visits to FSU (Dec. 16th), USC (Jan. 13th), Clemson (Jan. 20th) and UGA (Jan. 27th). Even though his brother played at Clemson, the sibling is not a slam dunk to wind up in Pickens County---far from it! Florida is out! Davis will not be reconsidering the Gators. UT is a school to watch, and it helps that they have former Gamecocks RB Coach Jay Graham on staff now, but Graham was not Davis’ lead recruiter while at USC. For some unknown reason, UGA does not have strong ties to Stephenson HS, which produces a bunch of D-1 caliber athletes, but never count out UGA, especially if Davis takes an OV (official visit). So that leaves three teams to watch for the Mike Davis sweepstakes: USC, Georgia and UT, possibly Miami, as well (teammate, LB Raphael Kirby, committed to UM). Davis says he will announce close to Signing Day. He is a four-star prospect, per 247sports, and is recruited by Lorenzo Ward.
Prediction: South Carolina
Athlete Chris Moody (Henry County HS, McDonough, GA): Chris Moody is a talented athlete playing quarterback in high school that USC wants to convert into either a Safety or Cornerback at the college level. With USC’s numbers crunch, the Gamecocks have had an “on again off again” relationship with Moody. Early in his recruitment, Moody stated that he wanted to play quarterback in college and that he wasn’t as receptive to the idea of switching sides of the ball and playing defense in college. After South Carolina had two defections in the Secondary this week, the Gamecocks have reengaged Moody and he has been more “open” to the concept of playing defense for USC. The schools involved with Moody are Central Florida, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Indiana, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and USC. Moody made an unofficial visit to USC for the Auburn game and enjoyed his visit. He has set official visits to UCF for Jan. 13th, Vanderbilt on Jan. 20th and would like to visit South Carolina on Jan. 27th, if possible. Moody is a three-star prospect, per 247sports, and is recruited by Lorenzo Ward.
Prediction: Vanderbilt
If two South Carolina coaches, Mangus & Ward, can seal the deal with five of the six prospects listed above then the Gamecocks will “ink”, more than likely, another Top 10 recruiting class in 2012. This class would be another stellar group of prospects stacked behind prior signing day classes (2011, 2010 & 2009) that have turned the tides of Gamecocks fortunes on the football field.
Go Gamecocks!
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