2017 Gamecock Signing Class: The Receiving Core
South Carolina is setting itself up for a lot of future success in the passing game with this 2017 signing class. At receiver, they are bringing in a couple of 4-stars with OrTre Smith and Shi Smith as well as 3-star receiver Chad Terrell. 3-star tight end, Will Register, also signed with the Gamecocks.
Wide Receiver
OrTre Smith: Last September, the top overall prospect from the state of South Carolina, OrTre Smith, announced that he was going to be a Gamecock. The 6-3 Army All-American was one of the top receivers in the country and is an imposing force on the football field. He was a consensus 4-star receiver with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Virginia Tech, among others. He graduated early from Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina so that he could enroll this spring. He will be able to participate in winter workouts and spring practice.
Shi Smith: The other Smith in the 2017 class, Shi Smith, is a dynamic athlete from Union, South Carolina, that will most likely play wide receiver. Smith is a 4-star recruit and the second overall player from the state of South Carolina. He had several top notch offers including Alabama, Clemson, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee but announced his commitment to South Carolina last June. Smith may only be 5-9.5, but he has 4.40 speed which helped him earn all of his offers as well as an invite to the Shrine Bowl.
Chad Terrell: The Georgia native committed to the Gamecocks last November without much fanfare. Bryan McClendon used his Georgia connections to bring in one of the more productive receivers in the state. During his junior and senior seasons at North Paulding in Dallas, GA, Terrell had 2062 yards on just 115 catches with 27 touchdowns. He had offers from all over the country, from schools such as Oregon, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Kansas State and Vanderbilt.
Tight End
Will Register: Register committed to South Carolina all the way back in June of 2015 and never wavered. The Chapin, South Carolina native has a short offer list. But with offers from Clemson, Michigan and Tennessee, it is obvious that some of the best offensive staffs in the country wanted him in the fold. Register was a participant of the Shrine Bowl All-Star game.