South Carolina is in the top five with WR David Rodriguez (6-1 165) of Providence, RI along with Michigan, Maryland, Georgia and Penn State. He first heard about the Gamecocks from his former teammate, QB Dante Reno who is committed to the Gamecocks for the 2024 class and was later contacted by area recruiter Pete Lembo and receivers coach Justin Stepp.
“I first started connecting with South Carolina from my former quarterback Dante Reno, and it kind of just went from there,” Rodriguez said. “I put them in my top five and everything has just gone on from there. I talk to coach Lembo and coach Stepp a lot. They really just want to be able to get me on campus and get deeper into the recruiting process. They definitely want me to be the slot receiver at the next level. They like my versatility, being able to do everything as a wide receiver, run routes, go up and get the ball and being a fast receiver. So yeah, they look forward to seeing me in person.”
Rodriguez will have the chance for a deep dive into the USC program next week. His grandmother lives about 40 miles from campus, so he, his mother and younger brother will be coming down Tuesday for an extended stay through the weekend. Rodriguez will have the chance to visit the coaches, watch practice, see the campus and take in the Vanderbilt game on Saturday.
“I’m just trying to get a feel for the place,” Rodriguez said. “My grandma lives right around campus, so she would definitely love for me to come there. I just want to see if it feels like home.”
Reno would also love to have Rodriquez at USC. The two were teammates at the Loomis-Chaffee School before Rodriguez transferred to Mount Pleasant High in Providence. Reno has done his best to recruit Rodriguez for the Gamecocks.
“Him being a year older than me, that would allow me to see the field earlier,” Rodriguez. “He’ll be a year more mature than me. Us having that connection already would kind of make things a little bit easier on my end. That’s something I look forward to. He tells me everybody is honest, and it feels like home. I spoke with his mom as well and she told me that it feels like a family all around.”
Rodriguez has also been to games this season at Florida and Michigan. Along with his stated top five, he also likes TCU, Arizona and Syracuse.
Rodriguez is playing a lot of quarterback this season, and some receiver. He can also play safety. According to Max Preps, through six games Rodriguez had 14 catches for 2156 yards and three touchdowns.
