Four-star DE Kelvin Gilliam (6-3 250) of Highland Springs, VA is one of the highest rated prospects on USC’s board right now, and the Gamecocks are one of the highest rated programs on his. Gilliam said Tuesday night USC, Penn State and Oklahoma are the three strongest schools with him at this point though he’s not cut his list to those three. There are many more offers he’s still considering.
Tuesday Gilliam had a Zoom call with several members of the Gamecock staff. He said Will Muschamp wasn’t involved as he was told he was on vacation, but he did talk with Kyle Krantz, Mike Peterson and George Wynn.
“South Carolina is a huge priority for me,” Gilliam said. “Top schools, all the best stuff. Conversations are like with family. We talked about things, about how they see me. We’re in like that development stage. They were just telling me, ‘We want you.’ It’s a big opportunity for me to come there and chase all my dreams. Everything I need and I’m looking for is at South Carolina.”
The Gamecocks have been recruiting Gilliam for the better part of two years, so he knows what a priority he has become for them.
“They’re pursuing extremely hard, and I would say Penn State, Oklahoma, Florida and Texas are as well,” he said. “South Carolina is a family vibe. I’ve been talking with Coach Krantz since my sophomore year. The things I’m looking for are to get there and play. South Carolina has emphasized that on me greatly. Great academics and get my degree. That’s non-negotiable. This is a 40 year decision, and I’ll go back there and be taken care of.”
Some of the other offers from Gilliam are Michigan, Michigan State, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, NC State, Virginia Tech, Duke, Tennessee, LSU, Minnesota, Cal, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas and Vanderbilt. He may take some official visits during the season, or he may go ahead and make his decision in July or August. He has had virtual visits with Florida and Minnesota.
Gilliam is ranked #7 nationally among weakside defensive ends in the 247Sports Composite, and he’s the #4 ranked prospect in Virginia. He had 7 sacks last season.
