USC didn’t win the recruiting battle for LB Jaron Willis (6-2 220) of Leesburg, GA when he first committed to Georgia Tech and then signed with Ole Miss for the 2022 class, but the Gamecocks cleaned him up on the transfer rebound.
Willis made an official visit to USC over the weekend and this time decided to make Columbia his home.
“I really hadn’t seen them in person, so I couldn’t judge them on how they are as a family and with their players. Now that I’ve seen that, it really made my decision easy,” Willis said. “I kind of wish I had had a chance to see it before when I was recruited, who knows, I could have been a Gamecock. But I’m ready to go.”
Willis played in one game this season for the Rebels, and that was against Central Arkansas in September and did not record any stats, so he will have a full four years of eligibility with the Gamecocks.
“I’m going to play more of a will linebacker role, but try to learn all the linebacker spots,” Willis said. “I’ll be physical, very physical, South Georgia mentality. Every time I see the ball, I go hit somebody and make them feel it. You’re going to see a lot of energy and hype, always hyped, just being myself.”
Willis was a safety in high school but has grown into a linebacker/edge rusher type of player. He’s the second linebacker for the class joining Grayson Howard.
Another article I read says we are planning to use him at LB, not DE. Seems to me we need to add some Edge players, at least ones with experience to go with all the underclassmen we will have there next year. Any word on Tonka Hemingway moving to DE full time? He played there during the bowl game and early in his career. I can’t see him doing that full time at 295 lbs or whatever he is now though. Maybe they plan on slimming him down some and using him at end next season? Terrell Dawkins getting healthy and making an impact would certainly help too. Looking like it may be Strachan and a true freshmen starting there, unless we pick somebody up in the portal.