Gamecocks latest to offer Neal
Make no mistake, the first three offers junior defensive end Lewis Neal of Wilson (N.C.) Hunt received were great. But No. 4 really got his attention.
"South Carolina offered [Thursday]," Neal said. "Man, it was amazing. That's the SEC. That's big time right there. It doesn't get any better."
Advertisement
There also are other things Neal likes about the Gamecocks.
"It's a good school, and it's a defensive end school," he said. "They told me, when I got there that everything is up to me on how good I can be."
According to the 6-feet-3, 230-pound Neal, East Carolina, North Carolina and North Carolina State already had offered. The Pirates like him at outside linebacker; everybody else wants him at defensive end.
For Neal, the offers likely aren't done coming in.
"I'll probably get a few more in the next month," Neal said. "Georgia Tech is about to offer. Also, I think Maryland and Wake Forest. And I think Alabama will probably offer me."
Thus far, Neal has visited North Carolina and North Carolina State.
"Those are the only two so far," he said. "I loved them both. I went to them for junior days and I'm probably going back to UNC junior day on Saturday. I'm going to Wake Forest on Feb. 25 and South Carolina on March 31."
Right now, Neal has no leader.
"I love them all to tell you the truth," Neal said. "But South Carolina stands out because of the SEC. N.C. State and UNC also stand out. I really can't say too much right now. It's very early. I'm open."
Keith Niebuhr can be reached at Keithrivals@yahoo.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KeithRIVALS.