Hometown recruit likes Gamecocks so much, he keeps coming back again and again

Camden defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod has been a frequent visitor to South Carolina, and each visit seems better than the previous one.

He was back on campus Saturday to watch some spring practice and visit with head coach Shane Beamer and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey. McLeod said Beamer’s Saturday tweet revealing a commitment from a prospect was not for him. But there very well might be one for him in the future.

“Me and my dad and my girlfriend, we just discussed (with Beamer) that when I come over there, I’m always welcomed home,” McLeod said. “Really good comfort level. They’re the home school and you’re always going to have your home school as a comfortable place. And I know the coaches well, like the back of my hand. We’re definitely very close.

“He (Beamer) said he’s going to recruit me hard until I commit to them or commit somewhere else. We chopped it up on how practice went, and we just kept talking.”

Practice gave McLeod (6-4, 324) a chance to watch the defensive front do their work with Lindsey barking instructions.

“I was glad to get to visit South Carolina again,” McLeod said. “I was watching Coach Lindsey teach his defensive linemen different drills. Most of the drills that he does we do in practice, so I’m real familiar with what they are doing.”

McLeod is regarded as one of the state’s top prospects in the 2023 class. He has USC in a high place in his recruiting, but a final decision on a commitment is still months away.

“I don’t know when I’m going to finalize things,” McLeod said. “I’m going to drop a top 10 this summer. After that, I’m going to get close to committing somewhere around the early signing period in December.”

One team the Gamecocks don’t have to worry about in this recruiting battle is Clemson, as McLeod said he has no contact with the Tigers. But he is planning to visit Ohio State during his spring break in April. If he can, he wants to visit Alabama March 26 and Auburn that same weekend. He also plans to visit Florida, and he will return to USC for the spring game April 16.

South Carolina recruiting notes

▪ USC is still in the market for a wide receiver for the 2022 class and will host Arkansas State transfer Corey Rucker for an official visit starting Monday. Rucker earned freshman All-American honors last season after catching 59 passes for 826 yards and nine touchdowns. He was at Auburn Saturday and has also taken unofficial visits to Ole Miss and Texas State. He also has a visit planned for Utah State for later in the week. He’s a native of Mississippi.

▪ Another top prospect scheduled to visit USC Monday is offensive tackle Olaus Alinen of Finland. He attends school in Connecticut and has been visiting schools in the South. He was at Clemson last week. His 2024 quarterback Dante Reno also will be in for a visit.

▪ Gamecock coach Shane Beamer issued one of his social media “Welcome Home” commitment alerts Saturday, a day when several prospects were on campus for spring practice. As of Sunday night, no prospect had gone public with a commitment to the Gamecocks related to that tweet.

▪ Among the prospects who visited USC Saturday, or planned to visit, were DB Caleb Woodson, DB Jalen Kilgore, DT Alijah Brown of Sumter, Camden DT Xzavier McLeod, ATH Nicolas Brown of CE Murray, AC Flora TE Jack Moseley, DE Monteque Rhames of Sumter, LB Winston Berglund of Carmel, IN, ATH Zyeir Gamble of Sumter, DB Nate Butler of Sumter, OL Trovon Baugh, 2024 OT Nicholas Reeves (6-4 280) of Warner Robins, 2024 DT Hevin Brown-Shuler, 2024 OL Waltclaire Flynn, 2024 LB Dylan Stewart, who was offered earlier in the week, and 2025 CB Jaylen Bell of Atlanta.

▪ USC offered TE Jayvontay Conner (6-4 235) of Kernersville, North Carolina. Miami also offered Sunday. Conner recently named a top 12 of NC State, Florida State, Mississippi State, UCF, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Pitt, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati.

▪ USC offered DB Braylon Johnson (6-1 160) of Highland Springs, VA. Wake Forest, Richmond, Williams and Mary, Howard, James Madison, Duke, North Carolnak Purdue, Charlote, Temple and West Virginia are some other offers.

▪ LB Troy Ford of Savannah, who has an offer from USC, plans to announce his commitment decision Tuesday. UCF appears to be the favorite.

▪ Chapin OT Chase Sweigart visited Florida Sunday after visiting Auburn Saturday. He’s a PWO candidate for those schools along with USC and Penn State.

▪ 2024 RB Jayden Pepper (5-10 180) of Greenville plans to visit USC on a date to be determined.

▪ USC OT target Wilkins Formby was offered by Michigan.

▪ USC OT target DJ Chester visited East Carolina over the weekend.