Five final recruiting storylines for South Carolina as first signing day arrives
The South Carolina football program is set for what might be a more active than usual early signing day Wednesday. Head coach Will Muschamp is set to speak with the media at 4 p.m. Wednesday to address the first signees. Here are the top storylines to follow through the day.
1. The Big Kahuna
Hammond defensive lineman Jordan Burch has been at the center of one of the quietest recruitments for a high-profile player. The five-star defensive lineman and No. 5 player in the country doesn’t do media interviews and hasn’t let much slip about his college preference. He took official visits to LSU, Georgia and Alabama, and his recruitment is believed to be between LSU, Georgia, Clemson and South Carolina. Should he land with the Gamecocks, it would be a coup for the staff, but it remains a mystery how that plays out. He’s expected to announce his choice during the 2 p.m. hour Wednesday in an event televised on ESPNU.
2. Bell tolls for Gamecocks?
Valdosta, Georgia tight end Jaheim Bell was more a want than a need before USC veteran Kyle Markway left for the NFL. Now the Gamecocks have one proven tight end on their roster and a group of younger, talented players. Bell could boost that as an explosive 6-foot-2, 213-pound playmaker. He’ll need to add weight, but he put up more than 700 yards through the air as a junior (a knee injury ended his senior season early). His other finalists are nearby Florida State and Oklahoma. He’s expected to announce his decision shortly after 1 p.m.
3. Some are waiting to sign
Through Muschamp’s time as coach at South Carolina, signing days have usually been mostly to plan. The kids who are publicly committed generally sign as soon as they can. But the 2020 class might be a bit different. Specialists will likely enroll late summer so their scholarships count toward the next class. Two USC commitments from the Carolinas — defensive lineman Alex Huntley and wide receiver Da’Qon Stewart — said they won’t sign until February. Late bloomer wide receiver Ger-Cari Caldwell from the Rock Hill area is a USC target who will also sign in February. It seems like a push for more flexibility as the team only has 22 or so spots available.
4. The residue of stability
USC projects to hold together the majority of the 2020 class despite a 4-8 season and concerns raised after USC leaders’ public comments about Muschamp’s future. Considering that and some coaching changes, the coaches have kept the class in place. That said, any lingering concerns about program stability could create more questions down the road as the Gamecocks have already started in on 2021 and 2022 prospects.
5. A Top 25 recruiting class?
Before the signing period began, the Gamecocks’ class was No. 18 in the country in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Bell and/or Burch would improve that, and there will be more pieces to fall into place before the class is fully wrapped. Muschamp’s past few classes have finished between 17th and 20th, and maintaining that will come down to finishing things off this week and in February and how some of the teams fare around USC.
