McClain to run with the Bulls

According to an article in today's edition of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, Pensacola (Fla.) defensive tackle Terrell McClain has given a verbal commitment to the University of South Florida.

"I was going to wait until my official visit," McClain told the paper. "But my coach told me to go ahead and make it official."

The 6-foot-2, 264-pound McClain also was recruited by North Carolina State and South Carolina, among others.

McClain is the highest-rated high school senior to date to commit to the Bulls, who will play in their second straight bowl game Saturday against East Carolina in the inaugural PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. He is rated as the nation's No. 37 overall defensive tackle prospect and is a mid (5.6) three-star rated prospect by Rivals.com.

South Florida defensive line coach Bernard Clark was McClain's Recruiter of Record. McClain is the first verbal commitment for Clark during this recruiting cycle.

McClain's commitment makes an even dozen for South Florida in this year's recruiting class. Ten of those commitments are from Florida high school products.