Gamecocks staff offers six defenders at Tennessee satellite camp

Some South Carolina coaches worked a satellite camp near Nashville Thursday and offered six players who attended: offensive lineman K'Rojhn Calbert (6-foot-5, 295 pounds) of McMinnville, Tennessee, defensive back Chris Bell (6-foot-3, 190) from Hendersonville, Tennessee; linebacker T.J. Minnifee (6-foot-3, 220) of Lebanon, Tennessee; linebacker Cain McWilliams (6-foot-1 225) of Lewisburg, Tennessee; linebacker Jacob Phillips (6-foot-4 228) of Nashville; and 2018 DE Greg Emerson (6-foot-5 275) of Jackson, Tennessee.

Two of the six, Minnifee and McWilliams, said in interviews later Thursday with the offers USC has moved into the favorite's role for them.

Minnifee said he'd not heard from USC prior to Thursday, and he attracted the attention of the recruiters with his workout. USC assistant Bobby Bentley later contacted his recruiting adviser with the offer and an invitation to a camp which he will attend in July.

"That was my first BCS offer so I'll definitely be interested in them," Minnifee said. "I think my athleticism (impressed them) and I was with the other D-linemen and I felt like I was more athletic. In m one on ones I did really good, probably my best showing that I've had in any camp, so I think that really impressed them."

Minnifee also has offers from Austin Peay, Jackson State and Samford. The USC offers trumps them all at this point.

"It definitely puts them at the top," said Minniffee who the Gamecocks see as an outside linebacker/defensive end prospect. He had 70 tackles and eight sacks last season.

McWilliams, like Minnifee, was also excited to get the USC offer and he moved the Gamecocks right to the top of his list as well.

"I was extremely blessed to receive the offer," said McWilliams who also got the word from Bentley and will talk to Will Muschamp in a few days. "It puts them at number one. They said to be my size I can move pretty quick and they would love to have me down there."

McWilliams said the Gamecocks like him for outside linebacker/defensive end and Thursday was the first time he'd had contact from them. He will camp at USC next week and will also go Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky for camps.

He did not rule out the possibility of committing to the Gamecocks on his visit next week. He'll be joined on the trip by Bell.

Last season McWilliams had 73 tackles with 19 for loss and 13 sacks.

Notes

USC defensive end commitment Tyreek Johnson of Lakewood was offered by Alabama per his coach Brian Jackson who said the offer came from Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. Johnson went to a one day camp at Alabama Saturday with Lakewood's strength coach and was offered. "He said it was a very nice campus but that's about it," Jackson said.

USC Thursday offered 2018 OL Dennis Wonnum (6-foot-5, 280 pounds) of Stone Mountain, Georgia, brother of USC frosh DE DJ Wonnum.

Athlete Tancey Richardson of South Aiken is now hearing from Georgia who wants to see him in camp. He also plans to revisit USC soon.

Defensive lineman Breyon Gaddy of Virginia Beach has a top five of Clemson, USC, Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee.

Defensive back Tank Robinson of Lake Marion visited Mississippi State on Thursday.