USC is not throwing in the towel on DE Justus Boone (6-5 250) of Sumter. Boone has been heavily recruited by the Gamecocks since emerging as a prospect last season, his first at Sumter after transferring from Laurence Manning.
The Gamecocks had seen Boone in camp, and after outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson watched him in the season opener last August, Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks offered him four days later.
Others followed suit, including Florida, and in February Boone committed to the Gators. Yet, the Gamecocks have continued their pursuit.
“I talk to those guys basically every day,” Boone said. “I get phone calls from Coach Peterson and Coach Muschamp and some other guys. And then I text them. It’s kind of like every other day I talk to them on the phone but they text me frequently. They are really just staying on me. They are are telling me the same stuff before I was committed from the jump and stuff like that. They are also telling me that until I sign those papers, or sign any papers, they are going to be on my back.”
Boone said Tennessee and Arizona State are two others keeping up the contact with him. They are all trying to see if they can loosen up that commitment Boone made to the Gamecocks some five months ago.
“I wouldn’t say necessarily that it’s loosening up,” Boone said. “But I always keep an open mind about the information the different schools give me, and this opportunity. I don’t want to say directly loosen up, but I do pay attention and I am taking into consideration everything that they tell me.”
So, how would Boone rate the strength of his commitment at this point on a scale of ten?
“I’d most definitely give it a nine or eight, something like that. I know it’s pretty high,” Boone said. “I like that the coaches are telling me what scheme they have for me to play for them and stuff like that. And all around, the school in general.”
Boone has set official visits with Arizona State for October 3rd and USC for October 10th. He’ll certainly set an official visit with Florida as well. Some of his other offers are West Virginia, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisville, Wake Forest, NC State, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Penn State and Arkansas.
Boone said he will be in a position to graduate early but he’s not sure he will do so, and he’s not sure if he’ll sign in December.
Come on Justus, join the ranks of John Abraham, Cliff Matthews, Melvin Ingram, Kalimba Edwards, Eric Norwood, DJWonnum, and of course Jadaveon Clowney.