USC among final three for Georgia WR Terrell
Wide receiver Chad Terrell of Dallas, Ga., has a final three for his football recruiting of the University of South Carolina, Oregon and North Carolina State. Oregon replaces Mississippi from his previous top three.
Terrell took an official visit to Oregon earlier this month. As for a visit to USC, Terrell said, “Yes, but it will not be any time soon.”
Terrell visited USC for its prospect gathering in late July and after that visit he called USC favorite.
“It’s a win-win school for me that has both football and academics,” Terrell said, pointing out his interest in USC’s International Business School. s a junior, Terrell had 51 catches for 826 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Defensive end Matthew Butler of Garner, N.C., is not revealing his official visit dates until the week of each visit. This past weekend he went to Penn State. He also has been officially to Duke.
USC will also get a visit for one of its early games in October. He also will visit Tennessee and NCSU. Butler said he’s hearing regularly from USC recruiter Lance Thompson, but he does not have a favorite at this point from the five schools he’s considering.
Defensive back Yusuf Corker of Stockbridge, Ga., has a small list of schools he’s talking with and USC is one of them. Corker said defensive coordinator and secondary coach Travaris Robinson is in touch regularly and the two have discussed when Corker will come in for a game.
Corker said he’s also talking with Tennessee and Michigan State, and he will take an official visit to Michigan State for the Michigan game on Oct. 29.
He said he likely won’t spend an official visit with USC and Tennessee because he wants to save them for places too far to drive. He’s also looking at Stanford and PSU for other official visits. Corker will announce his decision on his birthday, Dec. 26. He said there is no favorite.
USC offered 2017 offensive lineman Jerry Drake Jr. of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. He also has offers from North Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Pittsburgh, Mississippi State and others.
Gunner Britton, an ’18 OL of Conway High School and ‘18 DE Xavier Thomas of Wilson High in Florence were at USC on Saturday for the East Carolina game. Also at the game was ‘18 defensive lineman Rick Sandidge of Concord, N.C., and he told TheBigSpur that USC and North Carolina are his current top two.
Another top North Carolina prospect visiting USC on Saturday was ‘18 DE KJ Henry of Clemmons.
Clemson ‘17 linebacker target Deon Singleton of Paramus, N.J., suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a recent game and is out for the rest of the season.
DB Xavier McKinney of Roswell, Ga., revealed his official visits list as Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama. No dates have been assigned.
Willie Brantley, an ‘18 DB/WR from Conway High visited Clemson on Saturday. Clemson likes him as a WR. Also visiting on Saturday was ‘19 WR Xyre Wilson of Loganville, Ga. He also visited in August.
Others who were supposed to visit were ‘18 tight end Trey Ross of Randleman, N.C., and ‘18 DE Elijah Brown of Charlotte.
CJ Smith, an ‘18 DB from West Palm Beach, Fla., favors Clemson. He has not yet been offered by the Tigers. He has offers UF, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisville, Louisiana State, Michigan, Nebraska, UNC, Ohio State and others.
Keiondre Jones, a ‘19 OL from Hoganville, Ga., was offered by Clemson as was ‘20 WR Michael Robertson Jr. of Hoganville.
CLEMSON AND USC
Dakereon Joyner, an ‘18 quarterback from Fort Dorchester High in North Charleston, is well down the road in his recruiting, and he has set his announcement for Father’s Day in the summer of ‘17. He’s working off a short list of USC, Clemson, Tennessee, UNC, UGA, UF, Alabama, NCSU and Auburn though he actually has a pretty firm top five in mind that he does not want to reveal yet. He did say USC and Clemson are in the five with three out-of-state programs. He doesn’t have a favorite at this time.
He said USC has told him in no uncertain terms he is a QB target. Clemson has told him he would get a full shot at QB, but would move him if it doesn’t work out.
“Coach (USC offensive coordinator and QB coach Kurt) Roper constantly reminds me they like how I throw the ball and he likes my ball placement,” Joyner said. “I feel like my fundamentals are pretty solid, but I always have room for improvement and I feel like I’m getting better in some areas.”
Joyner said his NCSU recruiter plans to watch him in his next home game and USC will be down on Oct. 21. Joyner said every school that’s offered has done so for QB except Clemson, which is a QB/athlete offer.
Joyner was at USC on Saturday. He also plans to take in games this season at Clemson, NCSU, UF and Auburn.
OTHERS
DB Latheron Rogers-Anderson of Ridge View High in Columbia and formerly of Lake View High, committed to ECU. Raiqwon O’Neal, an ‘18 DL from Conway, was at UNC on Saturday.
BASKETBALL
Devontae Shuler, a 6-foot-3-inch player from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia who is from Irmo, made his official to USC over the weekend. He will go to Oklahoma State this weekend and to Ole Miss on Oct. 1. He is also considering Miami and Southern California.
Also visiting USC this weekend officially was 6-10 Nick Claxton of Greenville Legacy Charter. He also has visited Florida State and is scheduled to visit UGA, Baylor and NCSU.
Jason Cudd, a 7-1 center from Socastee High in Myrtle Beach, committed to USC last week, a day after completing his official visit. Cudd also considered offers from ECU and Tulane.
Cudd said after his visit that he liked everything he saw around the school and the program and felt he would be an excellent fit in USC head coach Frank Martin’s scheme.
“They showed me how they use their big men and the style of play that they play,” Cudd said. “I think it would be a great fit. They throw the ball inside a lot. They run the offense through the big man.”
Cudd is a developing big man who averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game last season. He’s working on his game around the rim and in developing big man moves, but he really likes to play like a small forward.
“He’s a really good outside shooter,” said Socastee head coach Derrick Hilton. “He’s active and runs the floor. He’s a kid who wants to get better and we’re trying to get him stronger. He’s not bad close to the rim, but he’s not overly athletic. We’ve got to get him more active, but he has a presence.”
Cudd is the first commitment for USC’s ‘17 class.
Ibrahim Doumbia, a 6-8 native of Mali who attends high school in Miami, made an official visit to UF over the weekend. He made an official visit to USC earlier in the month.
“It went good, the visit went good, it was very good. It was a good experience,” Doumbia said of USC. “The academics (stood out). They have a good business school and that’s what I want to study for college. And I think the coaches are really good, too. They tell me that they have a good program for guys like me, too. I’m just happy about it.”
Doumbia said USC talked with him about playing inside and outside. He said he averaged 18 points per game last season and can play on the perimeter. He’s also hearing from Virginia Tech and a little bit from Tennessee. He’s not yet sure if he’ll sign early.
Clemson’s competition for 6-9 Ejike Obinna of Ashburn, Va., was reduced by one after Oklahoma filled his spot on its roster, so he has cut the Sooners from his list and canceled his official visit there. Obinna has visited Clemson and UF and will visit Vanderbilt this weekend. He is also considering VT.
After his first two visits, Obinna said it’s hard to distinguish much difference between the Tigers and the Gators.
“They were both great,” Obinna said. “Clemson tells me how important I am to them and stuff. They stay in touch. We talk almost every day. You couldn’t ask for more (from Clemson). Everything is under control. I’ve had a relationship with (Clemson assistant) Coach (Mike) Winiecki for a long time. I couldn’t ask for more (on the visit). It was close to perfect. We felt like home.”
Obinna is still not claiming a favorite and will wait until after his visits to decide on one. He hopes to sign in November.
Josh Carlton, a 6-9 player from Winterville, N.C., and Dematha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md., committed to Connecticut. Clemson also was an offer and he had planned to take an official visit with the Tigers.
Zion Williamson, a 6-7 ‘18 standout from Spartanburg Day, is not only considered the state’s top prospect for his class, but some basketball pundits have dubbed him the best player nationally in the ‘18 class. Thus far, coaches from Clemson, USC, UNC, Duke, UK, Western Kentucky, UCLA and Tennessee have been in to see him.
He has Clemson ties in that his father, former Mayewood High standout Lee Anderson, played for the Tigers from 1975-78 before completing his career at Columbus State.
It’s all been a whirlwind for Williamson, who actually grew up in Florence before moving to Spartanburg a couple of years ago. He’s doing his best to keep it all in focus.
“I’m honored that people are taking the time to recognize me as the No. 1 player out of the whole country in 2018,” Williamson said. “How am I handling it? It’s not a problem because I really enjoy it. I see it as most kids don’t have the possibilities that I have, so I’m always enjoying it and never complain.”
Williamson said coaches are attracted to him because of his overall basketball skills and his versatility on the court.
“They love me because I’m a basketball player,” he said. “I can play multiple positions, positions 1 through 4. That’s what they love most about me, my versatility.
“My strengths are attacking the basket really well, posting up smaller defenders and shooting the short and mid-range jumper.”
Last season, he averaged 28 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots per game. Williamson wants to cut his list down next summer, and he wants to sign in November of ‘17. He considers the Tigers and USC as legitimate possibilities.
“They fit in really well with me because they are in-state and whenever they talk to me it’s always a family vibe” he said. “That’s what I love the most.”
Williamson last visited Clemson and USC in June. He does plan to get to both this fall for games.
“South Carolina, I love their style of play and I love the way Coach Martin coaches his players; he preaches defense,” Williamson said. “What he tells me is I need to really think hard about South Carolina because if I do have the opportunity to go pro, I won’t be able to play in South Carolina. My only chance to play in South Carolina is in college.
“Clemson, Coach Brownell said joining Clemson is a life thing. They are always going to look out for their players, and they always preach about family and what they can do for my future.”
Of course, it’s great to have the attention of the schools in your backyard, but in Williamson’s case, he’s got the blueblood programs of college basketball knocking on his door, and when Kansas, UNC, Duke, UCLA and UK come calling, you have to take notice.
“College is college to me,” Williamson said. “I’m going to pick the school that gives me that family vibe and they tell me that if I come to this school it’s a life thing and what they can do for my future academically and athletically.”
Clyde Trapp, a 6-4 player from Lower Richland High in Hopkins, was offered by UGA and Georgia Tech, according to PhenomHoopReport. USC’s Martin met with him last week, according to former USC captain Carey Rich.
The Clemson women landed a commitment from 6-3 Tylar Bennett of Detroit, according to women’s basketball scout Bret McCormick.
Hayden Brown, a 6-6 player from Byrnes High in Duncan, and 6-5 Derek Webster of Seffner, Fla., committed to The Citadel. Phlandrous Fleming, a 6-4 shooting guard from Athens, Ga., committed to Charleston Southern.
Clemson offered 6-10 ‘18 recruit Manny Bates of Fayetteville, N.C. Planning to visit Clemson on Oct. 1 are ‘18 recruits 6-5 Trey Wertz of Charlotte and point guard Rasir Bolton of Martinsville, Va.