2/13/2017 football Edit

SEC School Leads for 2019 DE Derrick McLendon

Chad Simmons • Rivals.com

Recruiting Analyst

Chad Simmons is a Recruiting Analyst for Rivals.com. He was the expert on The Next Class on Fox Sports South from 2011-2015. He currently covers Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

Derrick McLendon is one of the top 2019 football prospects in the state of Georgia. He plays at Tucker (Ga.) High School, a school that produces top talent each cycle and the defensive end has emerged into one of the top prospects in the South at his position.

The 6-foot-4, 225 pound sophomore was in Athens over the weekend to visit Georgia and he left with an offer from the in-state Bulldogs.

"It was really exciting," said McLendon. "I liked the new defensive line coach (Tray Scott) and I really liked their new, state of the art facility. I was definitely encouraged by their Academic support services that help the student athletes get their degrees too. There were a variety of things that excited me [at Georgia]."

Before Georgia offered, South Carolina stepped up with an offer to McLendon. He is ready to see what Will Muschamp and the Gamecocks have to offer when he visits Columbia (S.C.) February 25.

McLendon has added a couple of SEC offers recently and he now has a total of nine. He is one away from double digits and the school that got it all started was Florida. The Gators offered first and all are chasing them early on.

"I like Florida a lot right now," said McLendon. "I went down there last summer in July and the head coach (Jim McElwain) did not play around with me. He told me that I would look good in that blue and orange and he offered me right then.

"That meant a lot to me. He didn't play games. He saw me at a Florida Satellite camp early in the summer, he invited me down there and Florida was first to offer. I like how they play and they are showing me a lot of interest."

Florida offering first stands out to McLendon, but there is another reason he and his family likes the Gators. McLendon's cousin, Andra Davis played linebacker at Florida, so there are some true Florida fans in the McLendon family.

Being only a sophomore, McLendon does not plan to commit any time soon. He plans to take his time, take many visits, build relationships with coaches and then make his decision later in the process.