South Carolina Adds In-State LB T.J. Brunson to 2016 Recruiting Class
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
South Carolina continues to roll with recruiting under new head coach Will Muschamp netting recruit No. 9 since mid-December, and recruit No. 22 overall, on Monday when Columbia linebacker T.J. Brunson pledged to the Gamecocks.
Brunson has been a top priority for Muschamp since he took over the job making the Richland Northeast talent one of his first recruiting visits in the Palmetto State. The 6’0”, 220 pound, athlete had nine offers on the table from teams like Tulane, Georgia Southern, East Carolina, Appalachian State, North Carolina, and N.C. State but was a commit to Louisville. Brunson decommitted on Dec. 21 after Muschamp upheld the offer extended from the Spurrier era.
Virginia Tech was making a strong push for Brunson pushing an offer forward as he was officially visiting South Carolina over the weekend. Brunson also had an official visit set for Tulane on Jan. 22.
The Gamecocks class is evenly split on offense and defense but the feel is slanted towards defense with a lot of athleticism. USC has a lot of talent at wide receiver verbally committed. The Gamecocks appear to be set with three spots open for best available talent leading to the Feb. 3 Signing Day.
2016 South Carolina Gamecocks Verbal Commitment List (22)
CB Jamarcus King, 6’1”, 180 lbs, Coffeyville C.C., Coffeyville, KS
CB Tre Jackson, 5’10”, 178 lbs, Univ. Lab HS, Baton Rouge, LA
DE Griffin Gentry, 6’2”, 255 lbs, Homewood HS, Birmingham, AL
DE Sadarius Hutcherson, 6’6”, 250 lbs, Huntingdon HS, Huntingdon, TN
DE Javon Kinlaw, 6’5”, 275 lbs, Goose Creek HS, Goose Creek, SC
DE Cecil Stallings, 6’4”, 250 lbs, Tucker HS, Atlanta, GA
DE Keir Thomas, 6’1”, 245 lbs, Miami Central HS, Miami, FL
DE Darius Whitfield, 6’3”, 265 lbs, St. Paul’s Episcopal, Mobile, AL
LB T.J. Brunson, 6’0”, 220 lbs, Richland Northeast HS, Columbia, SC
LB Jacorey Morris, 6’3”, 220 lbs, Clarke County HS, Grove Hill, AL
DT Kobe Smith, 6’3”, 315 lbs, Archer HS, Lawrenceville, GA
OT Akeem Cooperwood, 6’7”, 325 lbs, Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, GA
OT Peter Leota, 6’5” 300 lbs, Asheville HS, Asheville, NC
OG Lloyd Cushenberry, 6’4”, 310 lbs, Dutchtown HS, Geismar, LA
OG Will Putnam, 6’5”, 270 lbs, Hickory Ridge HS, Harrisburg, NC
RB Rico Dowdle, 6’0”, 205 lbs, A.C. Reynolds HS, Ashville, NC
RB C.J. Freeeman, 5’11”, 195 lbs, Northern Guilford HS, Greensboro, NC
QB Brandon McIlwain, 6’0”, 188 lbs, Council Rock North, Newtown, PA
WR Diondre Champaigne, 6’4”, 180 lbs, Fort Dorchester HS, North Charleston, SC
WR Chavis Dawkins, 6’2”, 195 lbs, Byrnes HS, Duncan, SC
WR Bryan Edwards, 6’3”, 205 lbs, Conway HS, Conway, SC
WR Chris Smith, 5’10”, 170 lbs, South Pointe HS, Rock Hill, SC
Photo credit: thestate.com; No. 24 T.J. Brunson at the Shrine Bowl.