Clemson Sports News is just back from a trip to Irmo High School (Irmo, SC) in the metro Columbia area, and the site of this years annual Elite Position Training (EPT) 2018 camp/combine. Annually held in the Palmetto state. EPT’s combines and camp are modeled after many of the position and skills-drills combine showcases you see on a regional and national level (Nike/Under Armour) but the difference here is this is a very local camp and is exclusive to Palmetto state prospect’s. Built by EPT CEO and QB Guru Ramon Robinson this is the fourth annual camp, look for our story later this week on the camp and all we saw there.
After arriving I had the chance to meet up and talk to Zacch Pickens, the state of South Carolina’s top rated overall prospect. The TL Hanna (Anderson, SC) defensive standout is a player that is highly coveted by every single power 5 school inside the SEC and ACC footprint. With the two In-state schools doing head to head battle along with the likes of Alabama, Georgia and FSU. With all of these schools vying for the 6’5″ monster from Anderson to pick them as his college of choice in 2019.
If you listen to chatter among industry insiders who have covered Pickens, the predictions are all over the map from SCAR to Clemson to Alabama and FSU along with Georgia all getting the “leader” nod at one time or another. Pickens himself has always maintained a very non committal stance here and has never stated a favorite at any point in his recruitment. At points of his recruitment it seemed like anyone could claim to be his “leader” but Pickens has always remained quiet and content to keep that info within his family. Zacch and his mother are very close and she is very much in tune with all the movement around her son in regards to his recruitment. And for all of the offers and attention. She has managed to minimize the “process” for her son by already having their eyes on the potential suitors that fit Zacch’s needs in many ways, thus not allowing the process to overwhelm them at any point.
On the Clemson front, he has remained a priority target and the recruitment hit a slight “reset” with the hiring of Todd Bates prior to last season. All the familiarity he built prior to that had to be rebuilt and new relationship established between the newest Clemson coach and state of SC’s top prospect. Coach Brent Venables has expressed to Pickens and his family the need and the importance of defensive lineman in this 2019 class with only one commit of the 12 so far being a defensive lineman, that being recent commit Tayquon Johnson out of Maryland.
Look for things to heat up over the summer months as Pickens is expected to start taking some of those visits later this year. With his intent on being a December enrollee. And Clemson as well as all of the college football world’s new found pension for the early commit and December enrollee’s have compounded things for not just Pickens…. But have accelerated things around the recruiting world overall in the past 18 months. Then if you add in the recent depletion of the depth of the Clemson defensive front with the rash of expected and un-expected transfers. The attrition there is a selling point on its own, as it is looking like there is definite room on the roster to say the least.
It really looks like an In state battle here but don’t sleep on the SEC powers UGA and ALABAMA. FSU, whom was Zacch’s first offer, has slipped a little with the turnover on campus in Tallahassee with the coaching change in the off season. But again with the momentum building once again in the pan handle of Florida, Willie Taggart’s new staff is now firmly in place and a noticeable “up tick” in recruiting back to FSU “standards” is already being seen in this years efforts. You never count out that national brand that is the ‘Noles. This recruitment has shifted (in the medias eyes) many times since he was first offered at halftime of the Clemson vs FSU game in October 2016. And it was the Noles that surprisingly beat the home town Tigers to the punch with that initial offer.
Pickens, who’s recruitment has been heavily documented and covered since his breakout freshmen high school season at TL Hanna 3 years ago… Has for quite some time, been a top tier projection looking into the 2019 recruiting class. His combination of athleticism, power and speed at 6’5 “on a still growing frame, very rare in a young man of his size, and just what the doctor ordered if you are a power 5 defensive co-ordinator.
I spoke briefly with Zacch and he had the following to relay to us in regards to his recruitment. Zacch has long been known to keep things very close to the vest. We again found him to be a man of few words in regards to his recruitment at present.
CSN: Zachh tell us what has been up with your recruitment lately ?
ZP: “not much I’m really just concentrating on School”
CSN: Any visits planned in the near future locally instate or other wise?
ZP: “no sir, I just plan on hanging around concentrating on school over the summer”
CSN: Summer school ? .. is that to graduate early in December?
ZP: “Yes sir….it is “
With his prolonged exposure to the recruiting process… Pickens has “been there done that” in regards to unofficial visits to campuses all over the southeastern (ACC/SEC) footprint. So his taking his final summer to get ahead in his academic work to prepare for “Early Enrollee” status is a smart move and makes sense for the young man.
I would look for him to make a trip to the in-state schools at some point this summer as both of them have major recruiting outings, as well as camps coming up in the next 2 months. With the ease he can access each campus from Anderson and it’s a long summer, and we think he may find his way over to one or both at some point.
As the summer presses on, that December enrollment date moves closer, and some times you may find yourself in the position of having to fast forward plans as available travel time and time away from school erode the closer to August you get. Not saying this is the case with Pickens, just looking at the calendar and realizing how close we truly are to Football season with all the events planned all over the recruiting map. Events like Clemson’s “All In Cookout” annually held in July, being one of the first such events in the region. South Carolina has their “pool party” and UGA and Alabama along with FSU all have their own such marquee recruiting events coming up on the calendar. All will be tugging at the Anderson natives proverbial sleeve to attend.
Stay tuned here to C-S-N for all your recruiting news … as we will be here step by step with Pickens as he enters his final prep season. And watch as the recruiting war around him gets heated up with the summer rapidly approaching.
Junior Season Hi Lights
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