Three-star defensive end Blake McClain committed to Nebraska on Saturday during his official visit to Lincoln.Following an in-home visit with Steve Spurrier, Jr. on Jan. 30, the 6'3, 257-pound lineman had toyed with the idea of taking his visit to Nebraska as planned and then visiting the Gamecocks some time in the coming weeks before making a decision after National Signing Day. But it appears that McClain liked what Bo Pelini had to sell him to the point that that the Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. native decided to go ahead and commit to the Cornhuskers and shut down his recruitment.
The 6'3, 257 defensive end had been reevaluating his options following his decommitment from Florida State on Jan. 30 amid speculation that the new defensive staff was not as high on McClain as former Seminoles defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt was. After South Carolina received word that JUCO defensive end commit was unlikely to qualify, pursuing the newly available McClain made a lot of sense for the Gamecocks.
It's unclear at this point where South Carolina will turn to fill out the remainder of its class. The Gamecocks have 17 players currently committed and can take as many as five more prospects in the 2014 class. Most recruiting analysts expect Carolina to secure commitments from four-star defenders Chris Lammons, Wesley Green, and Dexter Wideman, leaving room for up to two additional players.
The Gamecocks remain in touch with Aiken, S.C. quarterback Bo Baldwin, with whom Steve Spurrier and quarterbacks coach G.A. Mangus have discussed the possibility of grayshriting. South Carolina has also turned up the heat on three-star tight end and current Minnesota commit Jerry Gibson of Theodore, Ala., who is visiting Columbia this weekend.
