Gamecocks giving cornerback committed to Alabama something to think about – Charleston Post Courier
Gamecocks giving cornerback committed to Alabama something to think about Charleston Post Courier
South Carolina still has some work to do, but it appears the Gamecocks have a prized defensive back considering changing his mind about playing for Alabama.
Cornerback Jahquez Robinson of Jacksonville, Fla., visited USC over the weekend and provided some encouraging news for the Gamecocks. Robinson, who has been an Alabama commitment for some time, said he’s ruled out all other teams except the Crimson Tide and the Gamecocks. Florida, LSU and Oklahoma were others he had been considering.
He said his Columbia visit gave him much more to think about regarding the Gamecocks.
“Things went pretty well,” Robinson said. “I got to talk to coach (Will) Muschamp one-on-one with my family. And also I got to talk to T-Rob (Travaris Robinson) a lot and spend a lot of quality time with him and his family.
“He (Muschamp) was telling that they are in a rebuilding stage and they are getting a couple of high-end D-linemen that my dad asked about, so they are going to rush the passer. So, the object now is to be able to come in and be able to compete with the corners they have now, and they’ll probably move Israel (Mukuamu) back to safety, and then a corner spot and the nickel spot will be open. So he said I could come in and compete for a spot right now.”
Robinson said he spent the entire weekend talking with the Gamecocks’ Travaris Robinson and he certainly gets the feeling from how the staff has been recruiting him that they want him badly.
“Definitely,” he said. “They been sending me like letters every day. I’ve gotten handwritten letters from the whole staff like four times in the past three weeks. They have really been prioritizing me. I was the only one for an official visit this weekend so I got to spend time with the whole staff. They really laid the red carpet out for me and I really appreciate it.”
And now, Robinson has his decision down to USC and Alabama. A rebuilding situation versus a national championship tradition. The Gamecocks still have work to do.
“Since they came on recruiting me, they’ve always been a top two, top three team for me,” Robinson said. “It’s kind of hard seeing how they don’t win every game, and then see how they are going to fit you into rebuilding. I’m still focused on Alabama but I would say they are definitely top two with me. It’s kind of hard to push over Alabama, especially with my family knowing what Alabama can do for me. I’ve got to talk it over with my family. That’s what it’s going to come down to, how they feel about it.”
Robinson plans to visit Alabama again for the LSU game and will also take an official visit with the Crimson Tide. He said from those visits he’ll be able to decide whether to stick with Alabama or go with the Gamecocks.
USC missed on a top target Friday when defensive end Desmond Evans of Sanford, N.C., announced a commitment to North Carolina.
USC target linebacker Desmond Tisdol of Rochelle, Ga., may be getting close on a decision. USC, Auburn, Florida State and Nebraska have been strong with him.
Last week, USC offered offensive lineman Camron Gann (6-4, 290) of Powell, Tenn., a suburb of Knoxville. The Gamecocks are the first to offer Gann (Class of 2022) but more are sure to follow. Gann is still growing and developing, but he already has the power. Last spring, he recorded a bench press of 500 pounds and a squat of 300 pounds.
“I am extremely excited about the direction the Gamecocks are heading in and what the future holds,” Gann said after attending the USC-Florida game on Saturday. “My recruiting process with South Carolina is just now starting. The thing I like most about South Carolina is Will Muschamp. They started recruiting me about a week ago. They like my size, feet, and physicality. South Carolina is high on my list.”
Gann said Tennessee and Arkansas also are showing interest in him. He has visited Tennessee. Gann’s teammate, 2023 WR Adarius Redmond, who also picked up a Gamecock offer last week, also visited Saturday.
Clemson last May picked up a commitment from the top-rated quarterback in the 2020 class in DJ Uiagalelei from Bellflower, Calif. The Tigers are hoping to add his top receiver to their 2021 class. Beaux Collins was in for the Florida State game, his second visit with the Tigers following a camp visit last summer. It came a week after he visited Ohio State, and the Tigers and Buckeyes are perceived as the frontrunners for this nationally recruited talent.
Collins played in his high school game Friday night before he and his parents hopped a red-eye flight to Atlanta. With a noon kickoff for the Florida State game, he missed all of the pregame activities but he made up for that by taking in the after-victory party.
“The locker room after the game was the best part,” Collins said. “It just shows me that just as much as you can be serious and dialed in, you can also have fun and still be among the best.
After the game, my parents and I had a little quick tour around the facility with coach Jeff Scott before we headed out. It was amazing seeing that crowd in person. And the way they stormed the field after the game with the players was very eye opening.”
According to MaxPreps stats, through six games this season Collins has 20 catches for 536 yards and 8 touchdowns, and he’s averaging 27 yards per catch.
Tight end Bryson Nesbit of Charlotte (Class of 2021), the son of former USC and NFL offensive lineman Jamar Nesbit, has a Gamecock offer and is drawing interest from Clemson. Nesbit visited Clemson for the Florida State game. And he did so with his parents’ blessing, both of whom are USC grads.
“It was a great visit,” Nesbit said. “I saw a fan base that really enjoyed the team, and just a good energy in the stadium. Both my parents don’t care if I go there, they just want me to go where there’s the best fit.”
USC was one of the first major programs to offer Nesbit. He was happy about that and was scheduled to make his first recruiting visit with the Gamecocks for the Florida game. “I was very appreciative and elated during the call with coach Muschamp,” Nesbit said. “I definitely want to get out to the bigger schools that have offered me. I’m just looking for a school where I can major in sports medicine.”
Nesbit also has offers from Duke, Virginia, N.C. State, Florida, LSU, North Carolina, Louisville, Maryland, Charlotte and Liberty.
Nesbit also plays basketball and was focusing on that sport until picking up football last summer. He can also play defensive end.
Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell already has two commitments for his 2021 group tucked away. He’s looking for a third and he brought in tackle Nolan Rucci (6-8, 266) of Lititz, Pa., for his first visit to the school for the Florida State game.
Rucci is a nationally recruited prospect and along with Clemson has offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Miami, Stanford, Texas A&M, LSU and others. He’s just starting to visit some of those schools and apparently the Clemson visit will be hard to top.
“Overall, it was amazing being able to experience Death Valley on game day and I am very thankful to the coaches and staff for being so accommodating,” Rucci said. “Meeting and talking with coach Sweeney before the game was an honor. One thing I really appreciated about coach was his honesty towards the recruiting process. It was really refreshing to meet a coach that gets it like he does.”
Rucci has also visited Penn State and has no other visits planned at this point, but he does plan to get to the other schools that have offered.
USC became the first to offer 2021 cornerback Kolby Phillips of Nashville. He has been to Kentucky, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Arkansas, Cincinnati and Texas A&M. Phillips comes from an area USC has recruited hard, and with success, with Bobby Bentley working the territory.
“Their coaching staff is close to my coaches and they discussed me,” Phillips said. “They watched my film and offered me. I think it’s great. They would definitely be in my top five. I love everything about the program and I love the defensive backs that they have there already, so me potentially going there is a very high chance.”
USC target defensive end Reggie Grimes of Brentwood, Tenn., took an official visit to Oklahoma over the weekend. He also has taken official visits to USC, Alabama and Tennessee and is scheduled for Florida State in November.
Wide receiver Semaj James of Tallahassee tweeted that he plans to name a top five soon. He camped at USC and Clemson last summer and the Gamecocks have offered.
Cornerback Kolby Phillips of Nashville and offensive lineman Camron Gann of Powell, Tenn., confirmed they were in for unofficial visits with USC on Saturday. Both have offers from the Gamecocks.
USC offered wide receiver Jaden Alexis of Pompano Beach, Fla., and offensive lineman Cedrick Nicely of Gainesville, Ga. The Gamecocks also offered RB/QB Emmanuel Henderson of Hartford, Ala., who was in Columbia for the Florida game.
USC is the first to offer running back Justice Haynes of Alpharetta, Ga. He’s also a baseball prospect.
Basketball
Ja’Von Benson (6-8) of Ridge View announced on Friday his commitment to USC, choosing the Gamecocks over the College of Charleston. Benson also had offers from Ohio, Indiana State, UNC-Wilmington, East Tennessee State, Winthrop, S.C. State, Presbyterian, Upstate and several others. He’s Frank Martin’s second commitment for the 2020 class, both from the metro-Columbia area. The other is 6-10 Patrick Iriel of A.C. Flora.
The Gamecocks have a full roster of 13 scholarship players They have two seniors departing after this season, so both of the 2020 scholarships are accounted for with their two commitments.
P.J. Hall (6-10) of Dorman made official visits to Clemson, Florida and Virginia Tech. He canceled visits to Tennessee and Georgia Tech and will choose from the Tigers, Gators and Hokies.
He is working this week with his parents and coaches on a decision and an announcement plan. Hall’s final official visit was to Virginia Tech two weeks ago.
Hall has a strong relationship with Hokies’ first-year head coach Mike Young, the former Wofford head coach. His father played at Wofford when Young was an assistant there.
Hall said all the in-home visits with the head coaches have been done, and coaches are regularly coming by Dorman to check in. He said recruiters from Clemson and Virginia Tech, in particular, have been in each week. And he said he hears from the Clemson staff every day either with a phone call or a text. Hall said there is no favorite at this point.
Point guard Garrison Powell (6-5) of Atlanta made an unofficial visit to Clemson for the Florida State game. The Tigers have been showing a lot of interest in Powell and wanted to see him on campus before moving forward with an offer.
He has offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Middle Tennessee, Elon and James Madison. Powell also has visited Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss and USF.
Baseball
Owen Washburn, a right-handed pitcher/infielder from Webster, Wis., committed to USC last week.
