Virginia linebacker prospect impressed with Gamecocks

Highly recruited linebacker Ellis Brooks (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) of Richmond, Va., made South Carolina one of his junior day stops earlier this month.

He saw enough to be convinced to keep the Gamecocks on his list.

Some of his other offers are Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia Tech, East Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, NC State, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wake Forest. Clemson is among other schools showing interest. He has also been to Duke for a junior day and was at Georgia this past weekend.

"I don't have a number listing anything one through ten with my offers or anything like that but they are definitely near the top," Brooks said of USC. "It's a great school and a great opportunity to play football. They like how physical I am and how I'm a hard hitter, always sticking my head in there. I have a motor and I'm non-stop and I can continue to play no matter what. They see me as a middle linebacker, a Mike or Will type."

Brooks wants to make his decision before next season and remains interested in anyone who offers him a scholarship. Coleman Hutzler is recruiting him for South Carolina and he's planning a return visit to USC for a spring practice for the spring game.

Brooks said his school doesn't ordinarily allow early graduation, but it is something he's looking into. He does not have any favorites.

Last season he had 117 tackles with 18 tackles for loss and six sacks.

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Virginia linebacker prospect impressed with Gamecocks."