Three-star SAF/LB Bryce Steele of Raleigh had set April 14th for his commitment announcement, and he had narrowed his decision to USC and North Carolina. And then he received an offer from what he called his “dream school,” Texas. And the Longhorns stampeded those commitment plans, such that now Steele has scratched that April date and replaced it with TBA.
“Texas just recently offered and I want to visit before I decide to make my announcement,” Steele said. “I’m not sure when my announcement date is. I haven’t visited that university yet and I want to visit that school before I make my final decision. Coach (Coleman) Hutzler (Texas LB coach), who was at South Carolina, he’s a great coach, great guy. I love him a lot. I just kind of want to see what they have going on in Texas before I announce my new date. If I’m able to get to Texas this summer, then hopefully I can (commit) this fall. But, by then I would have most likely committed. I mean, I plan on committing this summer most definitely.”
Will Muschamp replaced Hutzler with former Gamecock and NFL linebacker Rod Wilson. Wilson and Steele met in early March when Steele visited for a spring practice before everything was stopped. Since then, Wilson, Muschamp, defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson and recruiter Kyle Krantz have kept in regular contact.
“The whole staff, and even a few players, have reached to me expressing that South Carolina is the place for me to be,” Steele said. “I love what South Carolina has going on. I love the bond that I have with the coaches and the staff there. I’m just working every day to continue to build that bond with them as strong as possible.”
And that would include building a bond with Wilson.
“He’s a great guy, great coach,” Steele said. “I can relate to him because that age gap isn’t too big. He was once in my shoes not too long ago. And he also played in the NFL, and I have aspirations of playing in the NFL as well. Just having a coaching like that on staff is big time.”
Some national analysts have already pegged Steele for North Carolina. There’s good reason for that considering the amount of exposure he’s had to the program in recent months.
“I’ve been to UNC like seven or eight times, if not more,” Steele said. “I’ve been over there a lot. I’ve been able to build a good relationship with the coaches over there as well. They’ve been a big piece of my recruiting as well the past few months.”
Steele missed all of his junior season after having surgery for the removal of a benign mass from his chest. Based off his sophomore season in which he had 43 tackles and 6 sacks. Steele was ranked the #27 ATH nationally and the #9 prospect in Virginia. He attends school in Alexandria.
