USC targets DB standouts

Defensive backs are a priority for South Carolina in the 2010 football recruiting class and the Gamecocks have made a move with Jonathan Mincey (5-10, 175) of Decatur, Ga.

"They came through with an offer last week and I was real excited about that," Mincey said. "I don't know much about them so I want to get up there and find out more. I'm looking forward to seeing it."

Mincey plans to visit USC, Tennessee, Florida and Ohio State over the summer. Clemson also has been showing interest but as of last week had not offered. He has offers from USC, Tennessee, North Carolina, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Auburn, Maryland, Vanderbilt and Miami. Along with Clemson, he's also hearing from Florida, Georgia and Georgia Tech. He does not have favorites.

USC also is making a push for Tony Grimes (6-0, 170) of Hollywood Hills, Fla., and he talked with recruiter Jeep Hunter last week.

"We're just getting tighter," Grimes said. He was offered by Miami last week. He also has offers from USC, Southern Miss, Florida International, Michigan, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Oregon and Oklahoma State.

USC is one of the favorites, along with Clemson, for DB David Amerson (6-3, 182) of Greensboro, N.C. He has nearly 20 offers and says his top five schools are USC, Clemson, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech and N.C. State. Some of his other offers are Duke, Wake Forest, Maryland, UNC, Texas Tech, Stanford and West Virginia. USC and Clemson recruiters have been among the coaches to visit his school this spring. Amerson plans to camp this summer at Alabama, LSU and Tennessee and he plans to make an unofficial visit to USC.

Offensive linemen

--USC is one of 25 offers for Arie Kouandjio (6-6, 314) of Hyattsville, Md. Some of his other offers are Maryland, Tennessee, Miami, Alabama, Vanderbilt, UNC, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Penn State and Pitt. He went to junior days at UNC and Cal and will visit several schools, including USC, over the summer.

--Eric Mack (6-4, 310) of Calhoun County picked up offers last week from Virginia Tech and Duke. Some of his other offers are USC, Clemson, Michigan, Oklahoma, Auburn, West Virginia, Florida State, Tennessee, Florida, LSU, Alabama and Kentucky. Recruiters from USC, Clemson, North Carolina, Michigan, Miami, Georgia, Alabama and Auburn have been thru the school. He has not narrowed his list and he wants to visit the Florida schools before doing so.

--Air Force and Appalachian State have offered Boiling Springs' Logan Stewart (6-4, 275). USC also is showing interest and a recruiter has been to his school. Stewart will camp at USC on June 6 and is hopeful a good showing will earn him a scholarship. Stewart also will camp at East Carolina, Wake Forest, N.C. State, Vanderbilt and Virginia.

--Clemson is evaluating Conner Davis (6-6, 280) of Glen Allen, Va., and wants to see him in camp before deciding on an offer. He does plan to visit there this summer. Davis has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Maryland, West Virginia, Duke, Syracuse and Wake Forest.

--USC offensive line coach Eric Wolford has checked out Jordan Black (6-4, 240) of Valdosta, Ga. Black has been a tight end but will play mostly offensive and defensive tackle this season, and the Gamecocks like him as an OT. Wolford watched a spring practice workout and wants to see Black in camp, and he will be there June 6. Black also is getting interest from Florida State, Louisville, Tennessee, Georgia, UAB, Auburn and Georgia Southern. He has an offer from FIU. He lists USC, Georgia and Tennessee as his favorites.

Athletes

--Jerrell Priester (5-10, 185) of Allendale-Fairfax, who holds offers from Notre Dame, East Carolina and S.C. State, has heard from Clemson recruiter Chris Rumph, who invited him to camp to work out as a defensive back.

"He said there's a good possibility for me there as a corner," said Priester, the cousin of Clemson's all-time leading rusher Raymond Priester. "It means a lot to me to hear from them. Growing up, that was my team. I would love for them to offer me."

But he said an offer would not mean an automatic commitment.

He plans to camp this summer at Clemson, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.

--USC has jumped in with an offer to Duke commitment ATH Darius Lipford (6-4, 210) of Lenoir, N.C. He committed to the Blue Devils last October as a receiver or tight end, and he also can play linebacker. He also has an offer from East Carolina and is getting interest from N.C. State and Virginia Tech. USC's Hunter was at the school last week.

--Kyle Baublitz (6-4, 250) of York, Pa., talked recently with Clemson recruiter Billy Napier. Baublitz has visited Clemson before and Napier wants him to make a return visit for a more detailed look at the campus and facilities. He said Napier talked to him about playing tight end or defensive end. Baublitz has offers from Clemson, Boston College, West Virginia, Stanford, Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and others. He does not claim favorites.

--Clemson and USC have shown interest in Robert Boswell (5-9, 176) of Orange Park, Fla. He has offers from Towson and FIU. Boswell said he recently recorded a 4.32 time in a 40-yard dash clocking. He plays slot receiver and running back on offense and safety and cornerback on defense. He's also hearing from Georgia Tech and he went to Florida State for junior day.

Running backs

--Kendrun Malcome (6-1, 210) of Decatur, Ga., said he also talked with Rumph last week. Clemson has offered along with Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Miami, Wisconsin, Florida and Florida State. He's also getting interest from Michigan, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State and Michigan State. Malcome said Clemson, WVU, Florida and Florida State are recruiting him the hardest. He doesn't have favorites.

--Football and basketball prospect Bruce Ellington (5-9, 185) of Berkeley said last week his strongest push right now is coming from USC basketball coach Darrin Horn.

"He said he really needs a point guard," Ellington said. USC has offered for football and basketball. Clemson has offered for football and he's getting interest from Maryland and Kentucky. Auburn also has offered for basketball while Clemson, Texas A&M and Southern Cal are showing interest. He will go to a football camp at Georgia Tech on June 7, and he will go to team basketball camps at USC, Winthrop and The Citadel. He does not have a favorite.

--Maurice Hagens (5-1,1 220) of Tampa, Fla., says he has a USC offer but has not heard much directly from the Gamecocks because they've been talking mostly to his coach. Hagens also claims offers from Kansas, Purdue, Wake Forest, LSU, Tennessee, Connecticut, Miami, Kansas and Arkansas.

Defensive linemen

Kentucky recently offered Kendrick Frazier (6-3, 260) of Denmark-Olar joining USC and S.C. State on his offer list. He's also getting interest from Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisville, Buffalo, Virginia Tech and N.C. State. Frazier said USC's Shane Beamer has been the strongest recruiter on him. He lists his top five as USC, Coastal Carolina, Tennessee, N.C. State and Alabama with no leader.

Linebackers

--USC and Clemson have offered Ty Linton (6-2, 210) of Charlotte for baseball, and he's waiting to see if they will offer for football. Linton has offers from UNC, Duke, East Carolina, Wake Forest, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Illinois and West Virginia among others. He will camp this summer at Illinois and he wants to make a summer commitment.

--USC is showing some interest in Devon Washington (6-0, 226) of Conyers, Ga. He attended USC's spring game. He's also hearing from Ole Miss, Middle Tennessee, Central Florida and Western Kentucky.

Place-kickers

--Kyle French (6-2, 180) of Monomonee, Wis., visited Clemson and USC over his spring break and liked both places. He also visited Vanderbilt. French has not been offered, but he's also hearing from Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Wide receivers

--Ted Meline (6-3, 170) of Miami counts offers from Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee and Oregon among others on his list. He said he's focused primarily on Georgia, Oregon and Tennessee. He's also hearing from Miami and Florida.

--Recruiters from Louisville and Newberry were by Dillon High School last week to check on Antuawn Blue (6-1, 185). He's also drawn interest from USC, Clemson and North Carolina with no offers.

Quarterbacks

--Cody Craig (6-3, 210) of Timberland committed to Coastal Carolina last week for football and baseball.

--Ben Lippen's Joey Carter (6-1, 170) drew looks last week from recruiters from Western Carolina, Presbyterian, Furman and Charleston Southern. He has not been offered.

-- USC recruiter Ellis Johnson scouted Richland Northeast's Ker'Sean Wilson (5-11, 187) at a spring practice last week. The Gamecocks want to see the athletic Wilson camp this summer. He has offers from ECU and Buffalo. He's also getting interest from Clemson, Notre Dame, Maryland, Tennessee, UNC, N.C. State and Michigan. Last season, Wilson passed for 1,397 yards and 15 TDs and rushed for 657 yards and 12 TDs.

Basketball

--Winthrop signed 6-11 Julius Francis, a native of Nigeria who played at a high school in Maryland last season. He originally signed with SMU but was released from his letter of intent.

--The USC women's class for 2009 is rated fourth nationally by All Star Girls Report behind Baylor, UNC and California.

Baseball

USC last week picked up a commitment for the 2011 class from RHP Alex Pridemore of Union County. He was 3-2 this season. He's USC's third commitment for 2011.