Top USC target visiting Clemson

Murfreesboro, Tenn., running back Master Teague III will make a return trip Saturday to Clemson for the Tigers’ junior day and is on the short list of running back prospects Clemson is considering for in the 2018 class. Teague and his family visited Clemson last July and he’s remained in touch with the Tigers despite not yet having an offer from them.

“It’s been good,” he said of his conversations with Clemson. “They wanted to invite me to junior day. They told me that they were looking at four backs at this time and I am in the mix of the four.”

South Carolina also is strongly involved with Teague and is one of his offers along with Louisville, Tennessee, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Purdue and Auburn.

“My family, coaches and I continue to communicate with them a few times weekly,” he said of the Gamecocks. “They are still excited about our relationship and they tell me that I am their top priority. We plan to get back there after we have completed my visits to a few other schools.”

After Clemson, Teague said he will visit Georgia, Auburn, Ohio State and Mississippi State. After that, he said they will make plans for return visits to schools they have already visited.

Teague said he plans to have a list of his top schools ready in a couple of weeks.

Notes:

▪  Ben Lippen high 2019 defensive back Akele Pauling of made the short drive to USC on Tuesday to watch the Gamecocks practice and got the chance to talk with the coaches.

“The visit was great,” Pauling said. “Loved the tempo and way they practice. Also, I talked to some of the players and coaches, they were all great. They really like what I can give them at cornerback, but as of right now, no offer until the summer, hopefully, if I do really well there. They invited me to come back to the camp.”

Pauling said he will visit Virginia Tech in a couple of months.

▪  Greenwood wide receiver Sam Pinckney picked up an offer from Wake Forest.

▪  Byrnes wide receiver Demarcus Gregory picked up an offer from Missouri.

▪  Clay Vance, a 2020 quarterback from Washington, D.C., will be at Clemson’s junior day Saturday.

▪  Brandon Stone, a 6-foot-11 center from Alverton, Pa., made an unofficial visit to USC on Tuesday night. However, it’s likely Stone is going to go to a prep school next fall and reclassify for the 2019 class.

“He was very impressed, was able to talk with Coach Martin for about 30 minutes after the game and he toured the facilities. He really liked it,” said Stone’s AAU coach Tom Droney of Bridge City Basketball.

Stone has seven offers from low to mid-major programs but is now also drawing interest from Maryland, Pitt, West Virginia, Penn State, Butler, Dayton, Kansas State and Wichita State.

“They think with the added year of development (most importantly strength) he could really burst onto the scene this spring and summer,” Droney said. “It can only help him because he has all the tools at 6-foot-11. He needs to add muscle and get his grades in order. And yes they (USC) will be watching Brandon closely this summer.”

This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 10:54 AM with the headline "Top USC target visiting Clemson."