Coveted in-state 5-star Zacch Pickens commits to Gamecocks

South Carolina's Will Muschamp got his holiday weekend off and running with a big commitment for his program.

Defensive lineman Zacch Pickens, widely considered the top prospect in the state for the 2019 class, announced a commitment to South Carolina on Friday night after his spring football game.

The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder from T.L. Hanna High is ranked No. 1 in the state and 14th overall nationally by 247Sports composite rankings and is the No. 1 strongside defensive end for the class. He is No. 25 on ESPN’s Top 300 list for theclass of 2019.

"It just felt like home," Pickens told the Anderson Independent Mail. "I was just tired of waiting. I've known I was going to go (there) for a while."

He is the first five-star commitment of the Muschamp era at South Carolina. He picked the Gamecocks over Clemson, Alabama and Georgia, among others.

Pickens is the 12th commitment for the class and the fourth on the defensive line.

He had 72 tackles, with 14 tackles for loss and six sacks, last season. He can play outside or inside on the defensive line, according to his coach, Jeff Herron.

"I don't think that matters," he said. "He's got the ability to play anywhere. He's rare. He's going to be successful no matter what they ask him to do, in my opinion. He's that rare combination of size, speed and quickness. Very athletic. You just don't see many kids that big that can do some of the things he can do. He's got a burst to him you just don't see very often. That quickness to go along with that size is what separates him from everybody."

Pickens is considered a pass-rushing terror off the edge, but his coach says he has more to offer than just chasing the quarterback around.

"He plays the run very well, he's a tough, physical kid," Herron said. "He's a good pass-rusher but he's skilled playing the run, too. It's not he's a tall or skinny kid that people can run block. He's not. He's very big and very physical, but yet he still has that speed. I guess that's what makes him so unique."

This story was originally published May 25, 2018 at 7:58 PM with the headline "Coveted in-state 5-star Zacch Pickens commits to Gamecocks."