South Carolina football: Gamecocks in top 4 for Oscar Delp

The South Carolina football staff has made it known that they want Oscar Delp to be a member of the team when the season rolls around next Fall. Delp has been a high priority target for the Gamecocks and head coach Shane Beamer, who’s pulled out all the stops to lure the Georgia native to Columbia.

First was a social media push that took Twitter by storm with South Carolina followers using the hashtag #WeWantDelp to show their desire to land his commitment. The tag generated hundreds of thousands of mentions, and reached millions of social media users.

Next came a cryptic, yet obvious message from coach Beamer at the podium during SEC Media Days, where he emphasized the Gamecocks’ intentions to utilize the tight ends in their new look offense.

"“We are going to pass to the tight end. We WANT the premier tight ends in America.”"

Beamer has had the Gamecocks positioned in Delp’s top group for a few months now, and that standing hasn’t changed. The talented tight end released his final group last night which included South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia, and Michigan. The race, to this point, seems that it will come down to the Gamecocks and Bulldogs, though you can never count out the Tigers with blue-chip prospects.

Delp is considered by Rivals to be a four-star player and the nation’s second-best tight end, as well as the 101st-best prospect regardless of position. He’s already been to the South Carolina campus with position coach Erik Kimrey leading his recruitment. The Gamecocks feel good about where they’re at right now, but it’s always tough to beat out Georgia for local talent.

This is a race that will likely extend into the season. Delp has hinted at making a commitment on September 30th, his mother’s birthday. Delp’s mom happens to be a Carolina grad, so maybe that’s a good sign for the Gamecocks moving forward. They’ll need to show some improvement on the field to stay in the race, though, and will need to showcase their tight ends in the 2021 offense. If Nick Muse, Jaheim Bell, EJ Jenkins, and Keveon Mullins have big years, it will certainly help paint a picture of how Delp could shine in Columbia.