Gamecocks first to offer South Pointe’s Eli Adams

When eighth-grader Eli Adams showed up at South Pointe for summer workouts a couple of years ago, Stallions coach Strait Herron immediately said, “You’re over here with us,” pointing the chiseled middle-schooler toward the varsity group.

South Carolina Gamecocks coaches had a similar response when they watched Adams Thursday night during a skills practice at South Pointe. Any reticence they had – was his size sufficient? what position would he play? was he fast enough? – blew away in the stiff breeze.

“As soon as they saw him, they were, like, slobbering at the mouth,” said Herron.

The Gamecocks offered Adams a scholarship Friday morning, his first.

“Like any kid, I was hoping,” he said. “But it still surprised me when they did.”

South Carolina coaches told Herron that Adams would fit in their “buck” linebacker position, a linebacker that primarily rushes the passer, but from many different spots on the defensive front. The buck also drops into pass coverage.

“I heard that size would be an issue, but I proved that I can move,” Adams said. “I’m a pass rusher and I can do that from any spot on the field.”

Adams, who has a 3.0 grade point average, is a Class of 2018 prospect. He is the latest in a growing lineage of major college defensive line prospects at South Pointe. He said he specifically tries to emulate Jadeveon Clowney’s first step – admittedly tough to do – and Zeek Rodney’s explosion and power at the snap of the ball.

“Little pieces of each,” Adams said.

Some of Clowney and Rodney’s abilities were simply down to good genetics. Adams’ gene pool isn’t bad either.

Older local high school football fans will remember Adams’ father, Daniel Adams, as a key contributor to Northwestern’s 1989 state title team. Daniel Adams picked up the running back slack after his cousin Jeff Burris injured his ankle before the playoffs, rushing for a pair of scores in the title game.

Daniel Adams will likely accompany his son to the many camps he’ll be attending this summer. Eli Adams, who talked with around 20 coaches of FBS programs this spring, said he plans to visit Syracuse and Maryland on a combined trip, and might also head down to see some schools in Florida. He’ll camp at Clemson and plans to make an official visit to South Carolina as well.

Adams said his attention to the weight room comes from his dad.

“He always told me it was gonna pay off,” Adams said. “Today it paid off.”