Fort Dorchester DT Demetrius Watson (6-2 285) has known for some time that he wanted to play for USC after being offered by the Gamecocks last summer. He was just waiting for the right time to make it official. That time came Saturday afternoon in Columbia prior to the Gamecocks’ game with Florida. Watson met with head coach Shane Beamer and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey and made his plans to be a Gamecock official by making a verbal commitment to sign in December.
“Awesome. It’s the chance of a lifetime,” Watson said Sunday. “From what I saw last night, the team has come together excellently. The O-line was magnificent last night. Quarterback was pretty good. D-line was pretty good with pressure and some big sacks and nice hits.”
Watson watched closely how the Gamecock defensive line operated against the Florida offensive line. He came away thinking he would have little trouble transitioning to the college game.
“It doesn’t seem too much different from high school,” Watson said. “The linemen are a bit smaller and can move a bit better, but I don’t see that as being difficult because I’m a pretty fast guy off the edge.”
Watson first caught the eyes of Beamer and Lindsey in camp last summer. From there, the relationship grew to the point it reached Sunday with the commitment.
“When I went up to camp there, they were talking about my size to speed ratio,” Watson said. “I’m pretty fast. I ran a five-second forty on hand-time, probably about a 4.99 laser. Like my speed, I can use my hands for stuff like that. I don’t have to necessarily power rush the entire time. During the agility drills, I did awesome. And when we went to one-on-ones, that was my time to shine. That’s where I made my money at right there.”
Watson said he and Lindsey have developed a tight relationship thru the recruiting process.
“We have some things in common,” Watson said. “We like the outdoors, like fishing and stuff like that. We talk a lot about stuff outside of football. Like when I go on vacation, I let him know where I’m going, stuff like that. Most of the time I’m talking to coach Beamer and coach Lindsey, and it isn’t about football, it’s about everyday life stuff. I’m getting to know them as better people.”
Watson also received offers from Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Arizona State and Georgia State over the summer. But he was locked in on the Gamecocks from the start and believes the future in Columbia is bright.
“I believe the whole team overall is starting to fall into place like how it’s supposed to be,” Watson said. “Right now, everybody is buying into the process from what I’m seeing. I’m seeing the progression over the weeks, and it seems like everything is falling in line how it is supposed to be. I see it being great. It’s hard to explain, but sometimes I sit, and I daydream about it, what I would look like in the uniform and on the field with all the fans.”
Sunday, that daydream became a reality as Watson became the Gamecocks’ 18th commitment for the 2022 class and the third for the defensive line.
