Gamecocks target two-sport star from Mississippi, Clemson on track with tight end - Charleston Post Courier

Two-sport star Stone Blanton has been a Mississippi State baseball commitment for more than two years, but he's had a change of heart and now says football is his future.

Blanton, a 6-2, 220-pound junior from Madison, Miss., announced last week he has narrowed his college football choices to seven teams, and South Carolina is one of them.

USC head coach Shane Beamer and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Clayton White have been recruiting hard for Blanton.

“The new staff up there, coach Clayton White, he’s been real awesome to me, and we set up virtual visits in the past and that’s how the relationship formed and got stronger,” Blanton said.

“I really love what they are doing over there. Coach Beamer, he’s awesome. He was on the virtual visit with me as well along with a bunch of the defensive guys. I really believe in what they’re doing and I’m excited to see how they do this year and see what they have.”

The virtual visits Blanton has taken with USC have really worked in the Gamecocks’ favor. They have opened his eyes as to what they can offer him in Columbia.

“How they take care of their players is really awesome,” Blanton said. “They have great strength coaches and awesome nutritionists which I thought was really cool, a full-time nutritionists. I talked to her and she seemed awesome, knows a lot about how to take players of the players and how to teach them. The coaches work well together. I can see that."

Blanton has set official visits to USC (June 11) and Louisville (June 18). Texas A&M, Oregon and Stanford also will get official visits, while Ole Miss and Mississippi State will get unofficial visits.

The Bulldogs will have to win Blanton’s affection all over again, but this time from a football standpoint.

“I committed to Mississippi State for baseball back in 2019,” said Blanton, who plays outfield in baseball. “That was before football blew up, right after my sophomore season of football. That’s when I committed to them in baseball. Then football blew up. I love football and I knew it was going to lead to a football scholarship. I love Mississippi State. I have nothing but good things to say about them as well. It’s going to be a football decision and play baseball as well. I’d say it’s more 60-40 football.”

Blanton admits the other schools will be chasing Mississippi State as he goes through the visits. He will, however, have an open mind as he judges one against another to see which best meets the criteria of the perfect place for him.

Blanton is not playing baseball this spring and summer after having shoulder surgery. Because of that, he probably will not graduate early so he can play another season of high school baseball. He said he’ll make his decision either before his football season or soon after it.

Blanton is graded at the four-star level in the 247Sports Composite. He’s ranked the No. 10 inside linebacker nationally and the No. 6 overall prospect in Mississippi. Last season he had 121 tackles with 17 tackles for loss and 6 sacks.

Tight end Jaleel Skinner (6-5, 200) of Greer took some time away from recruiting while on spring break. He’s now ready to start planning official visits. Skinner said Arizona State, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida State are some of the places he’s looking at. In fact, he wants to schedule Florida State the weekend of the Notre Dame game.

Skinner has had a short list of Clemson, Florida, Miami, Georgia, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Michigan, Oregon, Florida State, LSU, Arizona State, Texas and Oklahoma. He did not make it to the Clemson spring game because he had a track meet, but he did watch it on television with a focus on the tight ends and what new position coach Tony Elliott was doing.

“I watched the spring game and I loved it,” Skinner said. “Loved the tempo. Loved some of the new faces they’ve got there. Loved how they catch the ball and get up and down the field. I think they did a really good job of getting the ball to them (tight ends). The way coach Elliott called the plays was great.”

Skinner said he talked with Elliott last week. USC has not been a strong factor with him since the coaching change, but he said he received some text messages from head coach Shane Beamer last week.

Wide receiver Dane Key (6-2, 170) of Lexington, Kentucky, no doubt will get a lot of pressure to stay in his home state. First, he’s one of the top players in Kentucky, rated a four-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite and ranked No. 31 nationally among receivers. Second, his dad, who is the linebackers coach at his high school,  played for Kentucky in the early 1990s.

But that hasn’t stopped USC and others from pursuing him. Key released a top 10 of USC, Kentucky, Virginia, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Oregon, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Virginia Tech and Purdue.

“It’s not about where my dad played or where I live, it’s about where I feel best at,” Key said. “This process is about me. My family will be involved in the decision, but they want what’s best for me.”

Key also is a high level baseball player who could be drafted, but he said his heart is in football and playing in the NFL. However, he is focused on his baseball season right now and won’t really turn his attention to football recruiting and setting up visits until that’s over. He plans to make his decision at the end of his football season. He will sign in December but will not graduate early.

USC is in the top seven with quarterback Braden Davis of Delaware. The others are West Virginia, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Duke, Stanford and Cincinnati.

USC in top three with wide receiver Addison Copeland of Buffalo along with Notre Dame and Rutgers.

Defensive back Keenan Nelson of Philadelphia has set official visits to Penn State June 11 and USC June 25.

USC offered 2023 four-star lineman Samson Okunlola (6-5, 320) of Brockton, Mass. He’s rated seventh nationally in his class at offensive tackle and the No. 1 prospect in Massachusetts. His brother is a 2022 defensive end and has a Clemson offer.

Clemson offered linebacker Fletcher Cothran (6-3, 205) of T.L. Hanna High School, his first official offer. He also plays baseball for the Yellow Jackets. He had 30 tackles, three for loss, last season.

Clemson target defensive end D.J. Wesolak of Boonville, Missouri, was offered by Miami. He also named his top 15 of Clemson, Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Oregon, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Texas Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and LSU.

Clemson target defensive tackle Hero Kanu of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., was offered by UCLA and Florida.

Clemson target offensive tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin (6-8,  305) of Charlestown, Indiana, committed to Kentucky. 

Hammond offensive tackle Drew Bobo has set an official visit to Virginia for June 18.

Safety Ashton Whitner of Greenville High was offered by West Virginia.

Dutch Fork wide receiver Antonio Williams was offered by Miami.

Mauldin safety Randy Caldwell was offered by North Carolina.

Basketball 

Clemson has offered Dorman High's Noah Clowney (6-9). The Tigers join Xavier, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Appalachian State, Upstate and Providence as offers for Clowney.

Clowney averaged 10 points and 9 rebounds per game last season. He’s rated a three-star prospect and the No. 4 prospect in South Carolina by 247Sports.

Clemson offered 6-9 Langston Wilson of Georgia Highlands JC. He signed with Alabama in October but received his release earlier and reopened his recruiting. USC was heavily in the mix with him in October but has not been back in touch as of last week. West Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Washington and East Carolina are some of the other new offers.

Stockrisers reported Clemson, Indiana, and Texas A&M are the programs that have reached out to Louisville transfer 6-4 Josh Nickelberry.

Former Clemson forward Olivier Maxence-Prosper is transferring to Marquette.

Former USC guard T.J. Moss is transferring to McNeese State.

USC forward Trey Anderson has put his name in the NCAA transfer portal. He averaged three points per game. And one-time Gamecock forward Patrick Iriel also is in the portal. He left the program in late October and withdrew from school.

Former Charleston Southern guard Phlandrous Fleming is transferring to Florida.

Former West Florence star guard Sharone Wright Jr. is transferring out of Morgan State.

Forward Jimmy Nichols of Conway is transferring to VCU from Providence.

Former Furman star 6-8 Noah Gurley is transferring to Alabama.

The Clemson women landed transfer LaTrese Saine of Southeast Missouri. She averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds per game this past season and blocked 103 shots.

 

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