One of the longtime targets of South Carolina defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Clayton White is 2028 LB Skylar Alston (6-2 220) of Raleigh. Alston has made four visits to USC, most recently for a game in early October.
Sunday, White will learn if his recruiting efforts in this case have paid off. Alston is set to make his commitment announcement at around 4:00 PM at a venue in Sanford, NC. He plans to stream the announcement on his own social media as well as through 247Sports.
Alston has narrowed his decision to USC, North Carolina, Michigan, Tennessee, and UCLA. As of Wednesday night, he was still undecided as he weighed the pros and cons of each program.
“I’ll say relationships. and just kind of where I fit at the best,” Alston said. “I feel like that’s definitely what I’m looking for, where I fit at and where my parents feel comfortable sending me. I would say the relationship, the coaching staff, and somewhere that’s built a relationship with my family where they feel comfortable sending me with that coach. And definitely the scheme and linebacker play style. I feel like I fit some of those schools pretty good.”
Alston was actually in touch with the Gamecocks Wednesday night as he had a FaceTime session with the entire staff. ‘
“It went great. Just checked in on me, just checked in on the fam, and just chopped it up. So it was great,” Alston said. “We’re so close. We really talk about day-to-day life and stuff. It wasn’t any talk about none of that (the decision).”
Alston has been keeping a close watch on the Gamecocks this season, and like most, he’s impressed by what they’ve done over the last month.
“They’re balling, balling, balling,” Alston said. “In all phases of the game, they’re just balling. And I like the diversity they have. I know they lost what, three games in a row, Bama, Mississippi State, and Kentucky. And I feel like they didn’t let none of that stop them. So they’re definitely on a bounce-back, and they’re not letting anything stop them.”
What about the play of the linebackers?
“Flying. Flying around,” he said. “Number 0 and 17 are killing it. And I find the defense kind of revolves around them. So that’s why they’re definitely putting on the show. And with that front four they’ve got too, it’s like they’re not getting touched at all. It’s a lot of just shooting gaps.”
Alston did not go to a game last weekend, and is staying home this Saturday as well. Along with USC, he has been to games at Tennessee, Kentucky, UCLA, and Penn State.
He said he probably will make his decision on Saturday and tell the winning staff then.
Through ten games this season, Alston has 96 tackles with 17 tackles for loss and four sacks. For his career, he has 123 tackles with 42 tackles for loss and six sacks.
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