NC linebacker has favorite, 'silent' top 3, with Gamecocks, Tigers in the mix

Concord, N.C. linebacker Derek Boykins acknowledged Tuesday night he knows where he would commit if he were to do so right now. He said he has a "silent" top three but one is clearly above the other two. South Carolina and Clemson are two he has been considering and he's visited both.

"Me and South Carolina are on pretty good terms," said Boykins who lived in Beaufort until he was six and has been a Gamecock fan. "Talk to them at least three times a week just figuring out what's the best for me right now. I mainly talk to coach (Will) Muschamp. He's saying, 'You know, we need you here.'"

Boykins confirmed USC as one of his top three. He visited Clemson last week and watched the Tigers go through a spring practice.

"I thought it was a nice school. Talking to Coach Venables and watching them practice, everything was great," Boykins said. "Me and Coach Venables were talking about Will linebackers playing in space. Coach Swinney was talking about, 'Make sure you go see what you need to see before you actually make your decision. Hopefully you'll be here."

As for making his decision final, Boykins is getting there but he's being advised not to rush things.

"I think I'm pretty close but my mom was just like, give it some time, but I think I know how it will go. She wants me to wait until at least June."

Boykins said he plans to return to Columbia "pretty soon" for another unofficial visit. He's also visited North Carolina, Tennessee, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke and East Carolina.

This story was originally published April 11, 2018 at 11:03 AM with the headline "NC linebacker has favorite, 'silent' top 3, with Gamecocks, Tigers in the mix."