GamecockCentral.com
Recruit to Watch BY CHRIS CLARK
Linebacker Larenz Bryant
W
ith five senior linebackers on the 2012 roster, a huge priority during the 2013 recruiting cycle was signing several talented prospects at that position. With National Signing Day less than four months away, the Gamecocks staff is well on its way to fulfilling that goal. The headliner of the group is one of the nation’s top defenders: Vance (N.C.) High School’s Larenz Bryant. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder committed to USC in June after a recruiting process that saw him rake in offers from some of the country’s best programs; Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Virginia Tech and a host of others pursued Bryant heavily before he chose childhood favorite USC. “I just felt like it was a good fit for me,” he told gamecockcentral.com shortly after his verbal commitment. “I grew up a South Carolina fan. It’s home for me. Every time I go there I felt like that’s where I wanted to be.” Bryant, a two-way player for Vance at running back and linebacker, earned an impressive list of accolades following his junior season. After rushing for 1,435 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense and recording 144 tackles, seven sacks and two interceptions on defense, Bryant was named to the U.S. Army All-American team and as a participant in The Opening, an elite and intensive football camp sponsored by Nike. The team of analysts on the rivals.com network all had great things to say about Bryant after seeing him in person this summer and on film. “Bryant is a complete linebacker,” said Jake Rowe of ugasports.com. “Most linebackers at that age are great athletes that can run plays down and deliver the big hit. Bryant can definitely do that, but he is also very comfortable and smooth in coverage. The
20
Height: 6-1 Weight: 215 lbs. Hometown: charlotte, n.c. School: Vance high school class: senior Charlotte native also has excellent hip rotation and explosion. This allows him to have an elite ability to change direction, or turn and run with running backs or tight ends that are releasing vertically down the field.” “Had one of the best Nike camp performances at linebacker I’ve ever seen in six years doing this,” said Rivals’ Kynon Codrington. “Bryant showed great range in seven-on-seven period and collected a handful of interceptions. He was just as good in one-on-one’s, showing he can stick with running backs coming out of the junction point on angle routes. He should be an immediate contributor when he arrives to Columbia.” Given his skill set, Bryant is versatile enough to play several positions behind the line, but he’s likely to play one of the Gamecocks’ two inside linebacker positions. “Coach [Lorenzo] Ward, he said I will be playing on the inside mostly, but that they’re looking to put weight on me,” Bryant said. “They’re in the 4-2-5 and he said I can cover and if they put enough weight on me I can play [middle] linebacker. [South Carolina linebackers coach Kirk] Botkin, he’s very energizing, man. Him and coach Ward are very close, so they think the same way.” Bryant is the highest-rated prospect in USC’s 2013 class; he’s ranked as the second-best prospect in the state of North Carolina, the No. 2 inside linebacker prospect in the country, and the No. 50 overall prospect in the country.
usc VS tennessee