RB Jaylen McGill (5-10 200) of Mountain View Prep has been on the recruiting radar for a long time. South Carolina was his first big-time offer, and that dates back to May of 2023 when he was an up-and-comer at Broome High School.
McGill is now a recruit on the national scale and has taken his talents to the new Mountain View Prep program in Spartanburg. His offers now include Clemson, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, Florida State and Rutgers.
He has been to a game at a different location each of the first three weeks of this season. First was the Clemson-Georgia game in Atlanta as a guest of the Bulldogs. Next, a visit to Death Valley to watch Clemson blow out Appalachian State. And last Saturday, he took in the instant SEC classic between USC and LSU.
McGill said of his visits to Williams-Brice Saturday, the Gamecocks continued to do what they’ve been doing with him for over a year with head coach Shane Beamer and running backs coach Marquel Blackwell leading the charge.
“Of course, they recruit me well. They’ve been recruiting me well since I was a freshman back when coach Montario Hardesty was there,” McGill said. “They recruit me well every time I come. They got me in. I saw the walk. I got to see them play. It was a tragic loss. I got to talk to Coach Beamer a little bit, got to talk with coach Blackwell. I still haven’t gotten to know Coach Blackwell as good as I want to yet. Hopefully I can get back down soon to really get to know him.”
The Gamecocks rushed for 243 yards in the loss to the Tigers with Rocket Sanders posting 143 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
“I think they run the ball pretty well,” McGill said. I think they are missing a couple of pieces on the O-line. I think Rocket Sanders ran the ball pretty good last weekend.”
McGill has not gotten to the point of his recruiting where he’s identified a list of favorites. When he does, the Gamecocks will have a spot.
“Of course, they will always be in my overall thinking because they are an in-state school,” McGill said. “I want to commit before my senior season. If it comes, it comes. I won’t rush it. I’ll know where I want to go when the time gets here.”
McGill holds similar sentiment towards Clemson.
“They will always be in my thinking for recruiting as well because they are an in-state school,” McGill said. “What I like about Clemson, I like the off-field aspects about Clemson. Everything about Clemson is great. They’ve got great academics. Great people around you. Great people to make you a better man to build your character and academically. They’ve got it all.”
Running backs coach CJ Spiller is heading up the Tigers’ recruiting effort with McGill. Their relationship, according to McGill, is still in the development stage.
“It’s not as strong as I really want it to be,” McGill said. “Me and Coach Spiller, we’re pretty cool. I’ve been down there a couple of times. He’s not really coming at me as hard. He’s come at me hard, but not really.
McGill said the schools coming at him the hardest right now include Rutgers, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Texas among others.
Last season McGill rushed for 1792 yards avearging 8.7 yards per carry. He finished with 2092 all-purpose yards with 30 total touchdowns. In four games this season he has rushed for 486 yards, averaging 12.5 yards per carry, and six touchdowns. He’s also caught 16 passes with four going for touchdowns.