Gamecock Digest

INTEL: Braylon Staley's Father Provides Insight Into Son's Recruitment

South Carolina's Football program recently offered in-state wideout Braylon Staley, but things have been quiet as of late. What's the latest per his father?

Andrew Lyon

INTEL: Braylon Staley's Father Provides Insight Into Son's Recruitment
INTEL: Braylon Staley's Father Provides Insight Into Son's Recruitment /

Back on October 4th, Shane Beamer and South Carolina's football staff dispensed an offer that caught the attention of many Gamecock fans, as they offered an in-state four-star wide receiver and Tennessee commit Braylon Staley. Besides the fact that he's a Palmetto State product, fans immediately became intrigued with this recruitment because Staley's produced at a high level throughout his high school career, having racked up 55 receptions for 957 receiving yards and thirteen scores this Fall alone, according to his MaxPreps profile page.

Just a couple of days after receiving this offer, Staley was spotted wearing Gamecock gear during an interview after his Strom Thurmond Rebels defeated Saluda High School 48-3, which caused a social media stir as people interpreted this as the high school senior conveying a newfound interest in the program. Since then, however, there's been very little information regarding where things stand between Staley and the Gamecocks, leaving some wondering if the home state program still has any shot of flipping him from Josh Heupel and the Volunteers.

Through a chance interaction on Wednesday, I chatted with Braylon Staley's father, Brian, about his son's recruitment and went in-depth about his relationship with the Gamecock coaches. This is what Brian had to say about his son's bond with Carolina's staff since he received his offer last month.

"Things have been well between them. They call and chat it up from time to time, checking in on him."

South Carolina's late offer, however, may be hurting them in this recruitment, as Brian indicated that Tennessee's collective efforts with his son have paid dividends over time.

"The relationship is different," he explained. "One he's getting to know, and the other, he knows very well. Bray knows [Justin] Stepp pretty well. I probably couldn't say that about the other coaches there at South Carolina. At Tennessee, he knows the entire staff. Coach Heupel, Coach [Kelsey] Pope, and Coach Max [Thurmond] talk [to him] every week. He's built a bond with Tennessee's staff as opposed to just a coach."

To cap off the conversation, I asked Brian whether or not his son was essentially done with the recruiting process, with the elder Staley offering up a glimmer of hope that Gamecock fans could latch onto.

"I believe he's shutting it down. I don't know for sure; I could be wrong."

Time will tell if South Carolina's offer to Braylon Staley came too little, too late for the Palmetto State native.

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Andrew Lyon
ANDREW LYON

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