South Carolina Football: Gamecocks Land Trio of Highly Touted Wide Receivers

The South Carolina Gamecocks did not have a single wide receiver for their 2012 recruiting class before July 5. 

Now, just five days later, they have verbal commitments from 4-star receivers Shaq Roland (Lexington, SC) and Jody Fuller (Monroe, NC), along with 3-star wideout Kwinton Smith (Dillon, SC).

Roland, who is ranked as the No. 63 overall prospect and No. 8 wide receiver by Rivals.com, gave his verbal commitment to Gamecocks receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. on Friday. 

The Lexington High School standout is listed at 6’1” and 170 pounds and was thought to be leaning toward South Carolina for the past month. 

Roland chose the Gamecocks over SEC rivals Alabama and Florida.

Fuller committed to South Carolina on the same night as Roland. The 4-star receiver made his announcement on ESPNU and Roland said the main reason for choosing the Gamecocks was how early they came after him.

“They were the first school to offer me,” Fuller told ESPN. “They just showed me so much love. Coach (Jay) Graham and Steve Spurrier Jr., they just made me feel at home from day one. I’m just glad they’re the school I’m going to go play with.”

Smith, who is the least heralded of the three recent Gamecock commits, gave his pledge to South Carolina on Wednesday. 

Although Smith is not highly rated at the moment, he is expected to become a 4-star receiver once Rivals.com updates their rankings in the fall.

The 6’4” and 206 pound frame of Smith will likely be the reason he moves up the Rivals.com rankings and he could become a downfield threat in 2012 and beyond for the Gamecocks.

Smith began to feel overwhelmed by the recruitment process and decided the time was right to make his commitment.

“The process got to be too much for me and I wanted to go ahead and get it over with,” Smith said. “I felt like South Carolina was the best for for me at the time. It’s close to home, I have a bunch of friends that go there and my family can see me play.”

South Carolina’s recent success on the recruiting trail has raised the expectations of the program, but this does not have Smith worried at all.

“We want to do things that haven’t been done in school history yet. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

The trio of wide receiver commitments now gives the Gamecocks 13 verbal commitments in their 2012 recruiting class.

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