Breaking down South Carolina’s recruiting class, Spencer Rattler impact, what’s next

We check in with longtime radio personality and in-state recruiting reporter Phil Kornblut as the South Carolina Gamecocks wrap up their 2022 signing class. The early signing period starts Wednesday.

The State: You’ve been doing this for (how many years?). How different is recruiting now with an early signing period AND the transfer portal? How has it changed for coaches, recruits and recruiting reporters?

Phil Kornblut: Been at this in one form or another since 1980. Obviously, it’s changed a lot with technology and instant reporting. Everything is rushed now, and the early signing date is an offshoot of that. Players are committing earlier, graduating earlier, decommitting more often and transferring sooner. It’s a vicious cycle. The portal, with no penalty for a one-time transfer, will no doubt hurt hundreds of high school prospects. For each transfer who gets a scholarship elsewhere, especially if moving up in class, that’s one less high school prospect that school can recruit. But it also gives coaches a quick fix to a problem area on their team.

Shane Beamer and his staff might sign 10 or so more high school prospects as they did in last year’s class. How much is that a product of having more time to build relationships with those recruits?

Kornblut: Recruiting is all about relationships, more so than what the school represents, its traditions or its league. Players see their recruiter or position coach as a father figure. The recruiter they trust the most will be the winner. Beamer and his staff are together for a second recruiting cycle. That’s big for them. It’s the second time through their territories, through their schools, and no introductions are necessary. They’ve been recruiting the same players to come to USC for two years, so the relationships have been developed. That leads to solid commitments.

Twenty high school commits with 13-14 on the defense ... are you surprised by such a class split?

Kornblut: There’s still work to be done and things will even up some down the stretch. They have addressed their defensive needs across the board ... on the line, linebacker and in the secondary. They could use a few more playmakers on the offensive side. Another wide receiver is expected to be added and they’re hoping to add a running back. And if they don’t sign one Wednesday, they’ll keep working the portal and some high-schoolers for February.

They can still add more from the transfer portal. Any gut feeling at what positions they’ll target?

Kornblut: I would think they would hit the portal for some offensive difference makers. They need more pop at receiver, and with ZaQuandre White leaving, and possibly Kevin Harris, a running back in the class is a must. They have to improve greatly at wide receiver, so I would think that would be a focus point as they look through the portal possibilities.

How does the Spencer Rattler transfer news affect incoming QB signee Braden Davis, if at all?

Kornblut: I don’t think the Rattler news should be a major factor with Davis. First of all, Rattler will be in his fourth college season in 2022. If he’s great, or just very good, he’ll be gone to the NFL. I’m sure Shane Beamer has spelled out for Davis that a redshirt year would be beneficial and then the job can be his in 2023. Of course, the quarterbacks his presence most will impact are Luke Doty and Jason Brown, both starters from this season who now will be viewed as backups if they stay. The coaches will preach competition, but Rattler didn’t come to Columbia to sit the bench. One or both could hit the portal, or Doty might decide to move to receiver. The other scholarship quarterback, freshman Colten Gauthier, also will need to decide if he’ll get a shot against Davis in 2023, assuming Rattler has moved on.

With Antonio Williams’ recruitment at Dutch Fork, there was some bitterness on the South Carolina side given how long the Gamecocks recruited him vs. the late offer from (and commitment to) Clemson? What do you make of how that played out? Williams never declared a favorite, did he?

Kornblut: No, he never declared much of anything during his recruitment. But as outsiders, media and fans can never account for what’s really in a prospect’s mind and heart. And in this case, Williams really wanted to go to Clemson. He did not take it as an insult when he wasn’t their top receiving target. What helped Clemson was that Dabo Swinney and Tyler Grisham laid it all out for him in advance so there were no surprises. And that built trust. Face it, Williams knows the history of Clemson’s offense (2021 notwithstanding) and history of receivers. The Gamecocks couldn’t match that.

Any of the in-state signees stand out?

Kornblut: The Gamecocks went from three to five in-state commitments on Tuesday. They started the day with defensive tackle Demetrius Watson of Fort Dorchester, linebacker Nick Emmanwori of Irmo, and receiver-athlete Kylic Horton of Clarendon Hall. Watson and Emmanwori had big senior seasons and played in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl last weekend. They look like big-time players and I sense both will be contributors before their careers are over. Horton is intriguing because he played eight-man football, but his talent was not hidden by that. He’s a talent but likely will need some time adjusting to the speed and overall talent level he will see in college.

The Gamecocks protected their backyard with the Tuesday commitments from defensive back DQ Smith (Spring Valley) and tight end/receiver Zavier Short (Chapin). Yes, they had to beat a pair of Sun Belt teams for the duo, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State respectively. Considering the ones who got away (CJ Stokes to Michigan, Antonio Williams to Clemson), those two commitments helped the Gamecocks in the local community. They are also quality players. Smith is a two-position athlete who would have played quarterback had he chosen Georgia Southern. And Short can be used anywhere in the receiving scheme, and even as an H-back. The Gamecocks did not hurt themselves at all by taking two local stars who were highly regarded by their coaches and their peers.

How about the class as a whole? Who are the stars of the class? Who might be classified as a sleeper?

Kornblut: As a non-follower of recruiting rankings, I base my assessment of a prospect and his college potential by the schools he could have committed to. If you have a bunch of signees who could have gone to other major Power 5 schools, you’ve got a good group. And the majority of the USC commitments fall into that category. Four will play in the two All-American games. Quarterback Braden Davis has a football pedigree and a big arm. He has a chance. Cornerback Keenan Nelson should be a contributor from day one. Same for Stone Blanton, who I expect to be a team captain one day. As for a sleeper, those are hard to find these days since nearly every recruit is over-covered by the media, but safe to say receiver Kylic Horton of little Clarendon Hall has the skills to be that surprise because you haven’t heard that much about him.

This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 12:00 AM.