USC football coach Shane Beamer Wednesday filled out his 2021 recruiting class with a commitment from Assumption University transfer CB Carlins Platel (6-2 190). The Massachusetts native chose the Gamecocks over Mississippi State and Coastal Carolina.
He played three seasons with the Greyhounds and will graduate in May leaving him one year of eligibility as a grad transfer with the Gamecocks.
“It feels great. I think they are a great program, great coaches, great scheme. I’m excited to get down there,” Platel said. “They were all excited. I didn’t tell any coach where I was going. I just tweeted it out. When I tweeted it out, they all called me excited. They can’t wait for me to get down there.”
Platel has never met his new coaches. He has only communicated with them from long-stance via virtual connections, cell calls and text messages. But he learned enough about Beamer, Clayton White and Torrian Gray thru that to feel comfortable with what they were selling him.
“I think the coaching staff is great,” Platel said. “I’ve talked to Coach Gray every single day. I know his background. I did my research on him. I saw what jobs he had before this one and who he coached, and most of them are in the league right now and that’s where I want to go. He would be a great coach. And Coach White, he’s also a great coach. I think they are going to have a great scheme.”
Platel was first team All-Conference in 2019, his last season of football. He played 33 games for the Greyhounds and recorded 96 tackles with 30 pass break ups and 7 interceptions. But he knows there will be skeptics who don’t believe he will successfully make the transition from Division Two to the SEC.
“I don’t say anything to people that say that,” Platel said. “I’ll just show them with my actions. I’m going down there and I’m going to have a chip on my shoulder. People are just going to see how I do down there and that’s what’s going to tell them how it is.”
Platel gives the Gamecocks five cornerback signees in the class, four of which are transfers from either junior college or another four year program.
