Saturday, Orangeburg Prep TE Tilden Riley committed to Vanderbilt. South Carolina tight ends coach Shawn Elliott had offered Riley as well and worked hard to get him. Now, Elliott has turned his attention to another in-state tight end target in Caden Ramsey (6-5 215) of Cross.
Elliott offered Ramsey on Friday, shining light on a prospect who has been off the major recruiting radar due to a lack of college camp appearances. Now, others know about Ramsey and are reacting.
“I know Oklahoma has just jumped on board. Duke has jumped on board. Ole Miss. You know, once one offers, everybody kind of comes sniffing out him,” said Cross head coach Shaun Wright. “He really likes South Carolina. He likes the fact that Shawn Elliott pretty much gave him a personalized workout (in the final June camp). Shawn Elliott put him through an extensive workout. The thing about it, he wasn’t 100% that day because he was coming off a hamstring injury, and he was fighting the flu. Yet, he was able to go in and impress Shawn.”
One might think this is a slam-duke recruiting case for the Gamecocks. It might be, though Wright said Ramsey will take a little time before rendering a decision.
“I think before the season starts he’ll make a decision on where he’s going to go,” Wright said. “He was pretty much offered scholarships based off of his film. I don’t blame a lot of those bigger schools, they wanted us to come see them in person. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, he couldn’t go to all of those places. South Carolina was where he was able to go to camp, and the fact that he was able to go to camp with them, they were able to see him in person, and they offered him off of in person. Nothing on film. Matter of fact, Shawn, when he evaluated him this spring, said his film looks really good, but he said before I offer him a scholarship, I want him to work out for me. Nobody knows about him. He’s under the radar only because he wasn’t able to go to those camps.”
Wright said Ramsey will take an official visit to USC, but that couldn’t happen until the dead period ends on July 31st. Rasmey has also posted offers from Georgia Tech, Syracuse and East Carolina.
Ramsey was an outstanding two-way performer last season. As a receiver he had 46 catches for 749 yards and nine touchdowns. As a free safety, he had 14 interceptions. Ramsey is used as a wide out with the Trojans, though South Carolina likes him as a tight end.
“He’s very versatile. You’re talking about 6-5, 215 pounds, can play inside and outside,” Wright said. “Getting mismatches is what we try to do to him. Often times, because of his height and demeanor, he just makes those routine plays, the plays that you think he would struggle with. With his physical attributes along with his attitude, you get a type of player that someone that Shawn Elliott loves.”
Ramsey is also a standout on the basketball team having averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game last season.