Final word from Gamecocks recruiting target AJ Brand before decision day
The Irmo High School 7-on-7 team was in action in a tournament at South Carolina on Wednesday, and that meant rising senior quarterback AJ Brand and rising junior wide receiver Donovan Murph were on display.
The Yellow Jackets put a nice run together to reach the championship where they ultimately lost to Providence Day out of Charlotte.
“I had a great day today,” Brand said. “Unfortunately, me and my team came up short in the championship to a great Providence Day team, but we gained a lot from this. We just grew as a team overall with the great competition out there. It was great reps for me and my teammates.”
Brand has the luxury of throwing to a high level receiver in Murph who already has multiple major offers including USC and Clemson.
“He’s the best in South Carolina. He can do it all,” Brand said. “His film shows it. His work shows it. He’s definitely the best in my opinion.”
Brand is set to make his commitment announcement on Sunday around 1:00 PM and will do so on his Instagram. He’s deciding between USC and Virginia Tech, the two schools he officially visited this month.
His presence on campus Wednesday gave head coach Shane Beamer, offensive coordinator/QBs coach Dowell Loggains and defensive backs coach Torrian Gray one final chance to talk with him in person.
“It was a couple of little conversations,” Brand said. “I talked to Coach Loggains, talked to Coach Beamer, talked to Coach Gray. They were just trying to see where my head was at. I didn’t specifically give them an answer, but they were just asking more questions about does everybody have a chance, and I told them everybody does have a chance on my decision day.”
“That’s really all we discussed. On my OV, they really showed me why it should be them. That’s really where I got most of my input from.”
The fun part of recruiting is now over for Brand. Now comes the hard part: Deciding between two programs and two staffs that badly want him.
One ACC, one SEC.
“I’m trying to finalize where I really want to take my talents for the next three to four years,” Brand said. “It’s just a decision that takes a lot of processing, a lot of understanding, a lot of just seeing where people truly are. The toughest part is not feeling like you made the wrong choice.”
“That’s probably the most difficult thing because you want to do what’s best for you and what’s best for your production at the end of the day. That’s really one of the hardest things throughout the recruiting process.”
It’s well known that South Carolina has been recruiting Brand to play safety, while the Hokies want him as a quarterback. The difference in positions for the two programs, he said, won’t factor in to his decision.
“It doesn’t really matter what position I would be at,” Brand said. “I really just want to be coached well, you know, produce and let my abilities be put to use.”
Brand was one of the state’s top quarterbacks as a junior, passing for 2,932 yards and 45 touchdowns while rushing for 1,113 yards and 17 touchdowns.
According to the 247Sports composite, he’s the No. 18 player in South Carolina, No. 60 athlete and No. 795 overall recruit in the Class of 2025.
If Brand chooses the Gamecocks, he’d join a class that currently ranks No. 28 nationally.
South Carolina football class of 2025
- Jayden Sellers (WR) — committed Oct. 26, 2023
- Brian Rowe (WR) — committed April 9
- Damarcus Leach (DB) — committed April 10
- Anthony Addison (DE) — committed April 12
- Shamari Earls (DB) — committed April 20
- Caleb Williams (DE) — committed April 21
- Jaquel Holman (ATH) — committed June 8
- Kobby Sakyi-Prah (DE) — committed June 10
- Chris Hatfield (DB/WR) — committed June 11
- Preston Douglas (TE) — committed June 12
- AJ Holloway (LB) — committed June 14
- Shedrick Sarratt (OL) — committed June 14
- Max Kelley (PK-P) — committed June 15