South Carolina had some drama with recruiting quarterbacks in 2022, but Gamecocks are emerging as favorites to get four-star QB Tanner Bailey.
Just like in the NFL, there is definitely a kind of merry-go-round when it comes to recruiting the quarterback position and you can see the ripple effects of five-star caller Ty Simpson’s commitment to Alabama on Friday.
Simpson is ranked as the 27th overall recruit in the 2022 class, according to the 247 sports ranking, and is one of the best professional-style quarterbacks in the entire class.
Alabama was the winner of that recruitment. Clemson snorted after being the former leader of Simpson’s crystal ball.
Still, the Tigers did not take long to recover, as they offered the top 100 quarterbacks Cade Klubnik, who is outside Austin, Texas, and almost immediately, recruiting experts beginning to predict that he would end the Tigers.
But Klubnik is not the only defender who started the trend with crystal ball projections from 247 sports recruiting experts, and another four star, Tanner Bailey, started doing the same with South Carolina football in what appears to be the next shoe to fall.
Bailey’s first projections for South Carolina came on Friday night, after Alabama managed to catch Simpson. Bailey is impacted because he also received an offer from Alabama, among several other offers, including Auburn, as well as a number of SEC schools and national powers.
So when Simpson went to Alabama, it effectively took Bailey out as a possible Crimson Tide quarterback in 2022, and now, the Gamecocks that have been lobbying for Bailey under new coach Frank Beamer, seem to be the beneficiaries.
Four 247 sports recruiting analysts now design Bailey, a 1.80m and £ 195 defender for South Carolina football.
Obviously, it hurt that five-star quarterback Gunner Stockton was already committed to the Gamecocks and came to Georgia as soon as the change of coach happened.
Bailey is not as well ranked as Stockon, the 20th overall player in the 2022 class and the best double threat QB.
But Bailey would be a great achievement for South Carolina and is ranked 21st overall, as well as the ninth professional-style quarterback. Oregon and Mississippi State are among the teams in the mix and are pushing hard for their commitment.
But now it looks like Bailey will remain in the SEC country and Alabama’s outlook is turning strongly towards South Carolina football.