USC reached into the Magnolia State Monday for another major commitment in LB Stone Blanton (6-2 220) of Madison. And he’ll also be a part of the Gamecock baseball program as he’s considered a top-tier prospect in that sport as well. In fact, Blanton had been committed to Mississippi State for baseball for over two years before deciding on a football career in college as well. And that decision ultimately led him to choose the Gamecocks over the Bulldogs, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
“That coaching staff is about as good as it gets,” Blanton said recently about Shane Beamer and company. “They are great people and great coaches as well. We’ve had a phenomenal time getting to know them and their families.”
Beamer and assistant coaches Clayton White and Marcus Satterfield made their in-home visit with Blanton last week, and in that meeting they put the final touches on their month’s long presentation as to why he should join the Gamecocks.
“We’ve talked a bunch,” Blanton said. “It’s been a relationship that’s developed over the past year, so we’ve covered just about everything. I really enjoy getting to talk with coach White and coach Beamer. We talk a good bit, so I really enjoy them, and it’s been good getting to know them. He’s (White) a great coach, an even better guy. He’s an even better man. We always love getting to talk to him and getting to sit down with him for that long was super great.”
Blanton made his official visit to USC in the summer. He returned for a pair of games during the season, and everything he experienced in Columbia was positive.
“It was amazing,” Blanton said. “The facilities were incredible. The people were even better. I love the coaches there. They were very welcoming and seemed very personable. Me and my family enjoyed the town and the college. They want to use me as a middle linebacker and maybe progress into a will linebacker. He wants me to be kind of a leader on the defense and make a bunch of plays.”
Blanton is the 20th commitment for the Gamecocks’ 2022 class and the fourth who played linebacker in high school. He will play in the Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando in January. The is season he had 125 total tackles with 26 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
