Gamecocks will get visit from highly-sought JUCO tackle

Florence native Dorian Gerald, now at College of the Canyons in California, returns home to Florence on Thursday for a brief summer break before heading back to the two-year school for his second season. Before heading back west, Gerald plans to check out some of the schools which have been hot on his trail this month, and that will include a stop at South Carolina.

“That’s without a doubt because it’s right there, 30-45 minutes away, so I’ll most definitely be there,” Gerald said. “I’ll probably try to make it down to Georgia. I’m not sure how far Tallahassee (Florida State) is. I want to go to Tennessee, it’s not far at all. I’m not guaranteeing those but those are the ones relatively close.”

Gerald said USC remains in regular contact with him and he’s getting even more attention from head coach Will Muschamp.

“Me and Coach Muschamp have been talking more than anything right now,” he said. “I have to say he talks to me more than Coach Thompson. I feel like Coach Muschamp is way more involved. Coach Thompson still talks to me but Coach Muschamp probably talks to me every single day. It lets me see that they are really interested. It definitely does show me he’s really definitely interested and wants me to come to South Carolina. He loves me and really wants me at South Carolina. I’m a priority for him, probably the number one priority on the defensive side of the ball. That’s what he’s telling me everyday, they need me at South Carolina.”

Gerald said Georgia, Tennessee, Louisville and Oklahoma also are recruiting him with the same intensity as USC. He also cited Colorado, N.C. State and Florida also are active with him. Gerald plans to release a list of top schools soon after he talks with his parents while home. He does not have a timeline for a decision knowing that time will be when the notion strikes him.

“If I go to South Carolina and I fall in love, it could be a commitment there, there’s really no date,” he said. “Whenever my heart my heart tells me it’s right, and I pray with God and I talk with my family, whenever all those three things come together, that’s when I commit. By June 1 I’ll release my top 10 and if June 2 I go to South Carolina and love it, I’ll commit. If I go to Florida State and I love it, I’ll commit. Whenever my heart, God and my family all align in the same way, that’s when I’ll commit, immediately.”

Gerald said once he makes his commitment, that will end his recruiting and he won’t consider any other schools. He hopes to graduate from the junior college this December but it might not be until next spring. He has three years to play two.

Gerald also said his younger brother Jaylen is a defensive tackle who played at Wilson and will enroll at ASA Junior College in Brooklyn, N.Y., this fall on a recommendation by USC. He will play two seasons there with plans on graduating in December of 2018.

Notes:

▪  South Carolina offered 2019 defensive end Byron Young of Laurel, Miss.

▪  Conway defensive lineman Raiqwon O’Neal was offered by Rutgers.

▪  Irmo defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat was offered by Indiana.

▪  Defensive lineman Dantrell Barkley of Independence Community College in Kansas, will visit USC on June 7.

▪  Gamecocks wide receiver Josh Vann of Tucker, Ga., was offered by Auburn, Miami and Indiana.