Gamecocks swoop in with first Power 5 offer for JUCO linebacker

Linebacker Tavareon Martin-Scott (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) of Fort Wayne, Indiana was a standout as a freshman at Dodge City Community College (Kansas) in 2019. He was second on the team with 42 tackles. He had 10 1/2 tackles for loss and 3 1/2 sacks. He was named honorable mention all-conference by the KJCCC. One recruiter impressed by Martin-Scott was USC’s Eric Wolford. And this week Martin-Scott landed his first Power Five offer from the Gamecocks.

“I was talking to Coach Wolf on Twitter for a minute, and he started talking to me more and more,” Martin-Scott said. “He told me that he was going to go over my film with Coach (Will) Muschamp. Then Monday, Coach Muschamp called me and said he wanted to offer me. He liked the way that I move. He liked my size. And he liked how I hustled to plays.”

For Martin-Scott, the offer was a big moment. He did not sign with a school out of high school. He went to Dodge City to improve his academics, which he has done, and to impress big-time coaches, which he also has done.

“I was ecstatic, I was shocked,” Martin-Scott said. “Well, I wasn’t shocked because I know I can play for a big school. I was very excited.”

The outside linebacker has spent time on the phone with Muschamp learning more about him and the Gamecock program, which he’s never seen in person. And living where he does, it’s not a program he’s focused on. But that’s all changed now with the offer from Muschamp.

“He’s a good person and they are like a family at South Carolina,” he said. “They are number one. I want to go down there and and feel it out for myself and see how I will be down there. I’m really hoping that I end up at South Carolina.”

Martin-Scott said he’s on track to graduate in December. He will have three years to play two on the next level. His other offers include South Alabama, Ball State and Akron.

Notes:

▪ Gamecocks running back target Tiyon Evans of Hartsville and Hutchinson Community College (Kansas) was offered by UCF. Evans also has offers from the Gamecocks, Tennessee, Maryland, East Carolina, Auburn and Western Kentucky.

▪ South Carolina offered 3-star tight end Landen King (6-foot-5, 210 pounds) of Humble, Texas. Texas, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas and Houston are some other reported offers.

▪ USC offered defensive end/tight end Deonte Anderson (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) of Fort Meade, Florida. Some of his other offers are Nebraska, UCF, Marshall, FIU, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and West Virginia.

▪ South Carolina offered 4-star 2022 offensive lineman Tyler Booker (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) and 4-star 2022 defensive tackle Walter Nolen (6-foot-2, 280 pounds) of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

▪ The Gamecocks offered 2022 cornerback JaDarian Rhym (6-foot-1, 170 pounds) of Valdosta, Georgia.