Recruiting | USC may pick up Tar Heels’ castoff

USC COULD BE getting a significant addition to its 2008 football class.

If he is approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse, athlete Tori Childers (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) of Rock Hill plans to sign with the Gamecocks.

Childers was a football and basketball standout for the Bearcats before graduating in 2006. He committed to North Carolina, where he was recruited by current Clemson assistant Andre Powell, but he did not qualify. He also was recruited heavily by USC and Tennessee. The Tar Heels placed Childers at Hargrave (Va.) Prep, but he left after two weeks and moved to Atlanta where he went to work.

By happenstance, Childers was playing pickup basketball in Charlotte in 2007 and was seen by a coach from New Hampton (N.H.) Prep. He made Childers an offer, and he enrolled there last fall to play football and basketball. Last season he caught 40 passes for 700 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged 10 points per game in basketball.

Childers visited USC last week where he met mostly with the defensive staff. He also plays safety. USC won’t move forward with Childers until he gets the Clearinghouse approval.

USC might not be getting wide receiver D.J. Donley, who left Georgia Tech after the fall semester to transfer to another school. USC was expected to be his destination, but those plans have stalled. Donley and his mother recently met with Georgia Tech coaches, rekindling the possibility of him returning to Tech.

Three of the state’s top prospects attended USC’s practice Saturday. Two Calhoun County teammates, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (6-3, 217) and athlete David Sims (6-0, 208), and Timberland offensive lineman Quinton Washington (6-4, 315) watched the Gamecocks work out.

Jeffery has offers from USC, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Southern Cal and N.C. State. Sims has offers from USC, Alabama, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Colorado and N.C. State. And Washington has offers from USC, Clemson, Tennessee, N.C. State, Alabama and Maryland.

Clemson is one of the offers for quarterback Morgan Newton (6-5, 215) of Carmel, Ind. He has been in touch with quarterbacks coach Rob Spence and is interested in the Tigers. He also has offers from Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Louisville, Kentucky and Virginia.

Linebacker Izaan Cross (6-4, 250) of Flowery Branch, Ga., has an offer from USC and hopes to attend the spring game. He also has offers from Oklahoma, Central Florida and Georgia Tech. Cross attended junior days at Georgia Tech and Georgia.

USC, Clemson and Alabama are the current top three with Beaufort defensive end Duane Chisolm (6-4, 255). He also has offers from Kentucky, Tennessee, N.C. State, Maryland and West Virginia. He has not been able to visit any schools but plans to make some trips this spring.

Clemson has a verbal offer out to athlete Victor Marc (6-0, 205) of Hollywood, Fla., and he has kept in touch with the Tigers, who plan to watch him in the spring before deciding on an offer. Marc plays quarterback, receiver and safety. He also has verbal offers from Central Florida and Ohio State.

Running back Jarvis Giles (6-0, 180) of Tampa, Fla., is giving USC strong consideration. He also has offers from Florida, Tennessee, Florida State, South Florida, Central Florida, Florida International and Arkansas.

Tennessee is showing increasing interest in defensive end Tariq Edwards (6-4, 225) of Marlboro County. He has offers from USC, Clemson and Vanderbilt.

USC offered defensive end Justice Cunningham (6-3, 232) of Central on Friday while he was attending the first spring practice. It is his first offer. Cunningham was scheduled to visit Georgia on Saturday for junior day, and he has also been to N.C. State. USC and N.C. State were his two favorites.

Clemson and USC are on the offer list for wide receiver Jheranie Boyd (6-3, 185) of Gastonia, N.C. He also has offers from Mississippi State, Alabama, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Maryland and Liberty. Boyd has visited NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest and plans to attend spring games at USC and Alabama.

Wide receiver James Green (6-4, 200) of Tallahassee, Fla., has offers from USC, Central Florida, Auburn and Minnesota. He has been to junior days at Auburn and Florida State and might attend spring games at USC, Florida State and Central Florida.

Offensive lineman Andrew Carter (6-6, 265) has an offer from USC and plans to visit in the spring. He also has offers from Louisville, Florida State, Central Florida and Miami. Carter was scheduled to visit Georgia on Saturday.

USC recruiter David Reaves last week firmed up an offer to wide receiver Kinsman Thomas (6-3, 195) of Marlboro County. Thomas attended USC’s practice Saturday. He also has offers from Clemson and Vanderbilt. Clemson has been his favorite.

USC and Bowling Green are the early offers from defensive back Dale Peterman (5-11, 175) of Youngstown, Ohio.

Two Ridge View teammates, running back Bucky Kennedy (5-11, 195) and defensive back Steffon Batts (5-11, 170), are getting interest for their football skills and academic work. Kennedy has drawn interest from Clemson, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Duke, Wake Forest, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth. Batts is receiving looks from USC, Clemson, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Duke, Wake Forest, Princeton, Yale and Harvard. Both attended a recent junior day at Auburn.

Linebacker Chaun Gresham (6-3, 200) of Winder, Ga., a USC target and the nephew of USC great George Rogers, committed to Georgia Tech last week.

Basketball news. Milton Jennings of Pinewood Prep will announce his college decision within the next three weeks.

“He’s basically, sort of, made up his mind,” said Jennings’ AAU coach Rufus McDonald. “Clemson, UCLA, Florida ... and Georgetown is a very significant candidate.”

Indications have pointed towards Clemson for Jennings.

“I can’t comment on that,” McDonald said.

Jennings averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.