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Visits from Miami (Fla.) commit Sam Bruce, Arkansas commit Kiel Pollard part of big South Carolina recruiting weekend

Who's headed to Columbia, and which undecideds could have the Gamecocks atop the list? (This is being updated as we learn of more visits; bookmark this page and check back often for the latest.)

By Sydney Hunte Updated
Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

A big recruiting weekend is coming up for the South Carolina Gamecocks and Will Muschamp. Six current commits will be taking official visits, while two players committed elsewhere - Miami (Fla.)'s Sam Bruce and Arkansas' Kiel Pollard - could change their minds during the weekend or shortly after it's through. Four other players, all undecided, will also be in town.

Let's get you caught up on what to look for and what the weekend might hold:

Committed to South Carolina

Akeem Cooperwood - The big tackle is strongly in the Carolina fold and will be taking his lone visit this weekend. Cooperwood, the JUCO player from Georgia Military College, should challenge for a starting spot in the front five rotation when he hits campus in the fall.

Lloyd Cushenberry - Might Cushenberry flip? He visited Minnesota last month and will head down to Mississippi State on the 22nd. The OG from Louisiana might be worth keeping an eye on, and there's no doubt the staff will be working him hard to keep him in the fold.

Sadarius Hutcherson - The Huntington (Tenn.) DE (recruited for the O-line by Shawn Elliott) committed back in December. He is set to take a visit to Arizona State on January 22 and Memphis on January 29. The Tigers might be a bigger threat to flip him than the Sun Devils, especially since former Arizona State assistant Mike Norvell is now the head coach at Memphis.

Javon Kinlaw - The DE is also in town visiting. He is headed to Maryland next week.

Pete Leota - Will Muschamp retaining Shawn Elliott was key to Leota staying put and sticking with his commitment. With no other OVs scheduled (and likely none others forthcoming), the Asheville OT's not going anywhere.

Will Putnam - Same story as Leota. Putman has no other OVs coming up apart from the one he's taking to Columbia. The Charlotte-area offensive tackle is rock solid in the South Carolina camp.

Darius Whitfield - Whitfield was a surprise commitment that came in not long after Steve Spurrier's resignation. The new staff has kept him on board, and the big-time DT from Alabama is headed to Columbia for a visit this weekend. No other visits are planned. (Visit has been moved to next weekend.)

Committed elsewhere

Marlon Character - COMMITTED TO AUBURN - The one-time Gamecocks commit will take a visit this weekend, representing the final opportunity for the staff to get him back on board before NSD. However, he did tell 247's Keith Niebuhr on Tuesday night that he remains committed to the Tigers ($$). A win for Carolina is that Travaris Robinson was Character's primary recruiter at Auburn before joining Muschamp's staff, so there's still hope that he could reconsider. (UPDATED 1/13)

Tylin Oden - COMMITTED TO LOUISVILLE - Oden was originally scheduled to visit this weekend, but tweeted on Thursday night that he wouldn't be able to come after all.

Kiel Pollard - COMMITTED TO ARKANSAS - New RB coach Bobby Bentley is working on flipping the Colquitt County (Ga.) wideout, who has pledged to the Hogs. As of now, it doesn't look like he has any further visits planned, so if he does flip, a decision to remain committed to Arkansas or go with the Gamecocks (which seems very likely) might come as early as next week.

Sam Bruce - COMMITTED TO MIAMI (FLA.) - The WR from Fort Lauderdale has visits to Florida and Miami lined up after he swings by South Carolina. A Canes pledge in July (well before Al Golden was fired), he is giving some thought to heading to the Palmetto State. We'll see if Travaris Robinson can work his magic and bring Bruce into the fold.

Hank Tuipulotu - COMMITTED TO BYU - The tight end from Rock Hill's Nation Ford High School is making the trip down I-77 for a visit as well.

Undecided

Jake Bentley - The four-star pro-style QB from Opelika (Ala.) tweeted that he was headed up this weekend as well.

T.J. Brunson - As good a chance of committing as anyone. Brunson, who was a Louisville commit up until last month, is now strongly considering pledging to the Gamecocks. Although he is scheduled to visit Tulane on the 22nd, it would be a surprise if the Richland Northeast (S.C.) ILB didn't end up sticking in his backyard and playing in his hometown.

Jamil Dukes - Ruffin McNeill's firing from ECU threw Dukes' standing with the team in flux, and he ended up decommitting about two weeks after the Gamecocks offered him. South Carolina is his only planned OV, so barring something unexpected, the Mooresville (N.C.) DT will be a Gamecock come this fall.

Tyreic Martin - After Gary Pinkel's retirement, Martin decommitted from Mizzou and decided to reopen his recruitment. However, he is still planning an official visit to the other Columbia a week after he's supposed to be in Columbia East, after which he should be ready to make a decision.

Daniel Thomas - Clemson, Maryland and South Carolina will get visits from the Montgomery, Alabama DB, with the Gamecocks first up this weekend. With no decision made yet, we'd expect to hear something from his end around National Signing Day.

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