Linebacker T.J. Brunson commits to South Carolina Gamecocks

Almost exactly a month after decommitting from the University of Louisville, linebacker T.J. Brunson has made his pledge to the University of South Carolina.

The Richland Northeast product was an immediate priority for the Gamecocks' new head coach Will Muschamp. Following his introductory press conference, Muschamp made the crosstown trip to meet Brunson in-person. After a few weeks of thinking it over, Brunson ultimately determined to stick around in his hometown, rather than going elsewhere.

#WeCocky pic.twitter.com/RKaZaxdixP

— TJ Brunson (@_tb44) January 18, 2016

The standout linebacker notched 138 tackles during his senior campaign - topping it off with Defensive MVP honors at the 2015 Shrine Bowl.

A part of the most recent recruiting weekend, Brunson becomes the 22nd pledge in the Gamecocks' 2016 recruiting class and only its second linebacker, joining Clarke County (Ala.) product Jacorey Morris - who committed all the way back in August 2014. The 247 Sports three-star prospect and No. 14 player in the state chose South Carolina over offers from Louisville, North Carolina and NC State, among others. The linebacker position is a priority for the team going into this recruiting cycle; with Skai Moore, Jonathan Walton and T.J. Holloman graduating after the 2016 season, they are working to add to their stable.