Tailback Chase Hayden ready for up-close look at USC

Running back Chase Hayden of Collierville, Tenn., will make his first visit of the summer this Saturday when he comes to South Carolina with his parents.

This will be strictly a recruiting visit. Hayden is not participating in any camps this summer except for The Opening early next month.

USC has made Hayden a top target, and likewise he has the Gamecocks high up on his list. This will be his second visit and he will be joined by his parents, so the purpose is for all to learn more about the program and the university.

“I want to get a closer look at it and visit with Coach Muschamp and Coach Bentley and see the campus, be around the people and stuff like that,” Hayden said. “They tell me about the opportunity to come in and compete early for playing time and be able to come in and contribute and have a big impact on the team.”

The following week Hayden will visit Arkansas on Thursday and Missouri on Friday. Those two, along with USC, stand as his top three, and these visits are big toward him making a decision. He said a commitment is possible after the visits “whenever it feels right.” There is no current leader among the three.

Hayden said he’s also still considering Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan and Oklahoma State.

He was named one of Tennessee’s Mr. Football winners last season after rusing for 1,903 yards (averaging nearly 12 yards per carry) and scoring 24 touchdowns. Hayden is the son of former Vols running back Aaron Hayden.

News and notes

▪  Wando WR OrTre Smith checked off the second stop of his summer tour Monday with a visit to USC. He and his mother arrived in Columbia on Monday morning and spent much of the day visiting with the Gamecock coaches and others within the program.

They were at Georgia Sunday. Next up on the agenda will be at visit to Clemson on Friday. The plans is also to visit North Carolina and Wake Forest and possibly Notre Dame, Ole Miss and West Virginia. Smith currently plans to make his decision known on his birthday, Sept. 11.

▪  WR Jordan Pouncey of Winter Park, Fla., visited USC Monday as part of a tour of schools.

▪  USC Monday offered 2017 OL Jordon Carty of Hollywood, Fla.

▪  USC Monday offered 2018 OL Williams Barnes of Apopka, Fla.

▪  WR Tajh Capehart of Virginia Beach released a top ten of USC, Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.

▪  DB Tank Robinson of Lake Marion made a visit to Tennessee Saturday.

▪  DE Robert Beal of Norcross, Ga., visited USC last week and said at the Rivals camp in Atlanta Saturday that USC is in his top 10.

▪  2018 WR Demarcus Gregory of Byrnes was offered Saturday by USC.

▪  USC Saturday offered 2019 ATH Jalyn Phillips of Lawrenceville, Ga.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 11:58 AM with the headline "Tailback Chase Hayden ready for up-close look at USC."