In-state defensive end raves about South Carolina after landing offer from Gamecocks

Defensive end Jaquavious Dodd is an up-and-coming prospect from Eastside High in Taylors. He’s a high-level athlete who also plays tight end for the Eagles in football, is a forward on the basketball team and runs track.

South Carolina defensive end Sterling Lucas has known Dodd (6-6, 225) well since last summer, and earlier this week decided it was time to make him an official offer.

“I went down there a year ago for a camp and I had a blast,” Dodd said. “I originally went down there for tight end, but then they brought me over there because they said I’d be a D-end. I was playing tight end at the time. Then, I started playing D-end for my school and I found out that I was good at it, and I’ve been playing it ever since. I went down to Carolina again for a day game and I loved the atmosphere. They were flying around out there, and I wish I was on the field.”

Dodd was a monster at defensive end last season, accumulating 53 tackles along with 13 sacks. But before making the offer, Lucas had to see more of Dodd in action, so he made the trip up to Eastside earlier this week for another look.

“He came to one of my practices and he saw me ball out,” Dodd said. “My energy. My explosiveness off the ball and my aggression.”

That practice session was all Lucas needed to see to be convinced he wanted to have Dodd in his room at USC.

“He said I’m going to call you later and he left practice,” Dodd said. “I went home and was waiting for the call and fell asleep. It was like 9:30 p.m. and he called me. He was like, ‘We’re offering you. I’ve already told your coach we’re offering you.’ I was stunned. I woke up to it.”

And where does the offer from the Gamecocks put them in his recruiting right now?

“Definitely top three,” he said.

The other two strongly in the mix right now are Connecticut and Virginia Tech. He visited Blacksburg in the spring. He has an official visit to UConn set for June 7 and one to Virginia Tech the following weekend. He said he and Lucas are talking about a date for an official visit to USC.

Dodd also has offers from Georgia State, Gardner-Webb, Richmond, Appalachian State, Liberty, East Carolina, Miami of Ohio, Howard and Wofford. He’s also heard from Clemson with a camp invitation and plans to attend a session this summer. Florida and Alabama have also invited him down for camp.