re: 2016 South Carolina Football Recruiting Feed

247 composite 4* OL/DL Javon Kinlaw committed to USC today. An Army All-American invitee, he wants to play DL but was recruited by the previous staff mostly for OL. He has grade issues is what most of the recruiting forums are saying, so he may be JUCO-bound, but we'll see I guess....

Boom says he has a plan for him to qualify. i'm curious about that plan, hope it works.

Here's a good read on Spurs & Feathers from Kornbutt.

https://www.spursandfeathers.com/Columns/recruitroundupcolumns

It's long, but here are some excerpts ...

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According to Georgia Military JC coach Bert Williams, he is expecting his defensive end Kalan Ritchie to re-sign with USC in February. Ritchie signed with the Gamecocks out of Goose Creek High School in 2014 and played the last two seasons at GMA. Williams said he has been in touch with the new USC staff about Ritchie. "I have had no discussion with USC that involves them not taking Kalan," the coach said. "He is set to graduate in March and plans are for him to go to USC."

South Pointe coach Strait Herron told TheState.com he understands the decision by USC coach Will Muschamp to inform committed DB Chris Smith that they don't have room to take him in January. Herron said he understands the business decision Muschamp had to make when it comes to his scholarship numbers. He said Muschamp assured them the scholarship for Smith to sign in February if he chooses is still there. Herron said Smith will explore other mid-year options.

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Richland Northeast LB TJ Brunson, coming off an MVP performance in the Shrine Bowl, announced he had decommitted from Louisville. He had been committed to the Cardinals since July. “Just looking to see if anyone else comes in,” Brunson said. “Really just waiting on taking my official visit.” Brunson’s only scheduled official visit at this point is to USC January 16th.

DE Keir Thomas of Miami is supposed to announce his commitment on Christmas Eve. Thomas said he doesn’t have anything planned and will just notify the school of his choice. He said he is down to USC and Arkansas. Thomas is a mid-year enrollee so if he picks USC it will be without taking an official visit there. He has taken official visits to Tennessee, Arkansas and Auburn. He did attend USC’s cookout for recruits last July. “It would be a good fit,” Thomas said of possibly joining the Gamecocks. “They would be running the same defense they ran at Auburn and I fit perfect in that defense. They do a good job of putting kids in the pros. I’m just looking for a home away from home.” Thomas said he had 20 sacks this season giving him 42 over the past two seasons.

Former USC commitment DB JJ Givens of Mechanicsville, VA released a top eight, in no order, of USC, Clemson, Arizona State, Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, NC State and North Carolina.

LB Jacorey Morris of Grove Hill, AL has been committed to USC since August but he doesn't know if he figures into the plans of the new coaching staff his coach said last week. "We haven't heard from them," coach Keith Kelly said. "He's turned down Ole Miss and Southern Miss to come to South Carolina so hopefully they will respect his scholarship." Kelly is hopeful he and Morris will soon hear from USC so they can know in which direction they should move. Morris has not scheduled any official visits.

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Last week Muschamp offered teammates from Houston in LB Dontavious Jackson (6-2 239) and DB Chris Brown (5-11 183). He had recruited both while at Auburn. Jackson already has taken official visits to Florida State, UCLA and Michigan. And now the Gamecocks have a chance at landing one of his final two visits in January. “I had never heard from South Carolina until Coach Muschamp got there,” Jackson said. “He told me he recruited me hard at Auburn and I’m still one of his top priorities and he wanted to reach out to me and let me know that I have a scholarship from him and we’ll sit down and talk more later on.” And that phone call alone, coming from a coach he highly respects, was enough to get the Gamecocks in the ballgame with Jackson. “Coach Muschamp is really an intriguing guy and I’ve heard so much about him positively,” Jackson said. “A couple of my older brothers, you guys that I look up to, they’ve been coached by him and they say nothing but positive things about him.” Jackson said he’s in the process of lining up his final two official visits but he’s not sure with whom they will be, but he said USC’s chance of getting one is “pretty high especially because they offered one of my teammates, so that will be something we definitely will talk about, get to go up there with each other.” As of November 1st Jackson had a top list of Florida, Florida State, LSU, Alabama, Texas and UCLA. He will play in the Under Armour All American game next month and plans to wait until Signing Day for his announcement.

Brown has taken official visits to UCLA, Arizona State and Michigan so he has two left for January. He’s still reeling in offers so he’s not sure yet who will get them. “South Carolina is a possibility for a visit, most definitely,” Brown said. “Me and Jack are going to sit down and talk about it. I knew about Coach Muschamp from Florida. He’s a great coach. A lot of people say he’s crazy but he’s a coach that’s going to coach. Everybody don’t have to be your best friend. I like a coach who will try to bring the best out of a player. That’s what you want in a coach.” Some of Brown’s other offers include Duke, Houston, Louisville, Kansas, Wisconsin, Texas, Cal, TCU, Texas A&M and Florida. He has no timeline for a decision. Brown plays corner, safety and nickel. “I’m a very versatile player,” he said. He had 40 tackles and 5 interceptions this season giving him 10 picks over the past two seasons. He plans to put together a top five soon.

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That's just a tiny piece of the entire article which is worth clicking and reading IMHO.

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Glad to be back in the mix for Character. Would also love us to spring a surprise and land those two guys from Houston.

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Same here on Character.

And wouldn't the two kids from Houston put a sand burr in the crack of Herman's arse ... just imagine.

3* DE Keir Thomas commits to the Gamecocks tonight...

Updated List - Christmas Edition:

2016 Targets

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3* QB Colin Hill
?* QB Austin Scott

5* RB Tavien Feaster (Current Clemson Commit)
3* RB Rico Dowdle
3* RB Treyvon Paulk

4* WR Cavin Ridley
4* WR Sam Bruce
4* WR Jayvaughn Myers
3* WR Kiel Pollard (Current Arkansas Commit)
3* WR Chavis Dawkins
3* WR Velus Jones Jr. (Current So Cal Commit)

4* OG John Simpson
3* OG Jordan Johnson

3* TE/DE Evan Hinson

4* DE Jonathan Kongbo (JUCO) - (Current Tennessee Commit)
3* DE Nick Coe (Current Auburn Commit)
3* DE Jordan Woods
3* DE Joshua Uche
3* DE Tyreic Martin
3* DE Allen Carter

3* DT Jamil Dukes (Current East Carolina Commit)
3* DT D'andre Christmas Giles
3* DT Kyree Campbell

4* LB Dontavious Jackson
3* LB TJ Brunson

3* CB Troy Pride Jr.
3* CB Nick McCloud

3* CB/S Chris Brown

4* S Jamel Cook (Current FSU Commit)
2* S Daniel Thomas

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2016 Commitment List

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4* QB Brandon McIlwain (Early Enrollee)
4* WR Bryan Edwards (Early Enrollee)
4* OT Javon Kinlaw
4* CB Jamarcus King (Early Enrollee)
3* DE Darius Whitfield
3* RB CJ Freeman (Early Enrollee)
3* ILB JaCorey Morris
3* CB Tre Jackson
3* OT Akeem Copperwood
3* OT Pete Leota
3* SDE Cecil Stallings
3* CB Chris Smith
3* OT Will Putnam
3* OT Sadarius Hutcherson
3* DE Keir Thomas (Early Enrollee)
2* OG Lloyd Cushenberry
2* SDE Griffin Gentry
2* WR Diondre Champaigne

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3* Keir Thomas Commits! Merry Christmas indeed.

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He was the Defensive Player of the Year for Dade County. That is HUGE, considering the schools and players he was going up against. He had over 20 sacks this year from a NT position, he's going to be a stud.

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New Cavin Ridley update on 247, can anyone summarize?

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Cavin Ridley cut Tenn and Ark from his list, it's now b/w SC and Bama. He is an early enrollee. He has already graduated HS (really I should say met his graduation requirements.) He is playing in the All American Game this weekend. He could announce at anytime, but he's not rushing into it. If he wants to EE, he needs to technically announce before the Add/Drop date for either school. Ridley's older brother was a Fr All American at bama this year, but his brother is telling him to go where it feels right for him, not pressuring him to bama.

Tony Morrell put in a CB for the Gamecocks, but bama has the vast majority of the projections.

Really want to land this kid. Hopefully McIlwain puts in a call or text to him this week sometime.

4* WR Nate Craig-Myers is going to OV with is brother 4* CB Jayvaughn Myers on Jan 22nd. They really like TRob.

It's not a lock that we get both, or that they're a pair deal, but we'll have a shot here, especially with Jayvaughn.