Jaylen Gilchrist On His Visit: 'The Environment Was Electric'

South Carolina's Football program hosted several talented players this past weekend and top-ranked 2025 tackle, Jaylen Gilchrist, was one of them.

This past weekend, Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks hosted some talented high school athletes for their nail-biting win over Kentucky. Among those visiting was 2025 four-star offensive tackle Jaylen Gilchrist out of Virginia Beach. Gilchrist is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2025 class, and offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley would love to land him as the first piece of his group for that cycle. We had the chance to ask him a few questions about his visit this past weekend.

The first thing we wanted to know was what exactly Gilchrist's thoughts were about South Carolina's environment on Saturday night. Let's just say he wasn't disappointed.

"The environment was eclectic, and as far as what I've seen, no one is topping that."

Being able to witness a stadium that quite literally was swaying Saturday night and having the chance to take that all in as a recruit is something that can have a lasting impression. With South Carolina not having the season they thought they would have and being able to compete to give themselves a chance at bowl eligibility, Gilchrist believes this speaks volumes for the Gamecocks program.

"Me personally, seeing a hard-fought win shows that even [when] faced with adversity, a team can still push through and come out on top."

While Jaylen Gilchrist enjoyed his visit, one of the most important things for most recruits is the relationships formed with their recruiters. We asked him his thoughts on head coach Shane Beamer and offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley.

"As far as coach Beamer, he's one of the most realest, [and] straightforward coaches I know. The way he speaks highly on anyone, no matter what position they may have in the program, everyone has a place and is wanted there. Essentially one big family."

Lonnie Teasley talking to his players during the Vanderbilt game (11th Nov., 2023) / Fisher Brewer

He continued on discussing his thoughts on Coach Teasley, saying:

"And for Coach T, the way he can make you feel at home and able to be yourself is phenomenal. Whenever we connect, football is never the first thing that is talked about, and me personally, I look at that as something that makes him stand out from the others."

Being able to land Gilchrist would be a huge win on the trail for this program, which is working hard to get the great quality talent that's required to compete in the trenches in the SEC. 

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