Antoine Wilder wants to be a hit as freshman with Gamecocks
Antoine Wilder makes no secret about what he believes sets his apart as a safety.
“Most guys these days just want to catch picks. I want to hit,” he said. “Most DBs you’re not going to see striking people. I want to strike people.”
Wilder, who played at Hapeville Charter in Atlanta, hopes to get the chance to crack the rotation as a freshman. He does not expect a torn meniscus in his right knee from his senior season to set him back with the Gamecocks.
“The goal is first string,” he said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 192 pounds
Stats: Played three games, had torn meniscus; surgery was in October
Rating: Three-star prospect, according to 247Sports Composite
THREE THINGS
▪ Also considered Louisville, Mississippi State and Kentucky
▪ Worked this offseason with a speed trainer and three strength coaches, including former USC player Carlos Thomas
▪ Was a high school teammate of two-time USC defensive end commitment Arden Key, who signed with LSU
THREE QUOTES
▪ “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to know what to eat and what not to eat,” Wilder said of his strict diet. “Your body is your temple. The way you treat your body is the way you’re going to play on the field.”
▪ “I don’t do social media. I don’t party. I try to work out every day all day. I want to be the best. Until I am the best, I’m going to keep doing that.”
▪ “In 2015 I really believe we're going to shock the world.”
COACH’S TAKE
Co-defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward: “He’s a physical, downhill safety. That’s what we recruited him for. He’ll be playing free safety.”
Dwayne McLemore