Gamecocks land big-play WR Corey Rucker from transfer portal

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On3 image — Corey Rucker on his South Carolina football official visit. (@coreyrckr7 on Twitter)

The 2022 South Carolina football team took another major step on Saturday.

Talented transfer portal wide receiver Corey Rucker announced a commitment to the Gamecocks on Twitter, a week and a half after taking an official visit to the school.

An explosive and productive playmaker, Rucker has three years of eligibility left and will be eligible to play immediately for the Gamecocks in 2022. He will arrive this summer after completing his classes at Arkansas State.

MORE: Inside the commitment: What type of player are the Gamecocks getting in Rucker?

The former Arkansas State standout chose the Gamecocks over offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Utah State, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington State, Vanderbilt, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Appalachian State, and Texas State.

Rucker, who was recruited to the Gamecocks by receivers coach Justin Stepp, took an unofficial visit to Auburn the weekend prior to his South Carolina official visit and an official to Utah State a couple of days after it.

“When I got there, it already felt like I had known Coach Stepp for three years already,” the former Arkansas State standout said. “I felt like I was already one of his guys and I felt comfortable around him, like it just felt like I was supposed to be there. He asked about my family. He told me about his family. I got to meet his little son, Courtland, that was super cool. He was just an excited little dude. Just being around (Stepp) felt so natural and felt like I’ve already known him for a lifetime.”

One of the highlights of the trip appeared to be the opportunity to meet South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley.

“I was grinning the whole time,” Rucker told Gamecock Central. “Her message was basically what she’s seen Coach Beamer do in the amount of time he’s been here, turning the program around, and that the entire city is just full of genuine people that actually care about the student-athletes for who they are. She pretty much had kind of the same message that Spencer had, that if you’re looking for genuine people then this is definitely the spot.”

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The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder entered the transfer portal about a month ago and quickly landed an offer from the Gamecocks, becoming an instant priority for South Carolina football staff.

Rucker earned Freshman All-America honors this past season when he caught 59 passes for 826 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, all for the team lead. As a true freshman in 2020 (which didn’t count due to COVID), Rucker collected 16 catches for 453 yards and five touchdowns.

South Carolina has what is widely considered one of the best transfer portal classes in the country headlined by former five-star quarterback Spencer Rattler, who arrived in late January.

The Gamecocks had already landed one receiver from the portal in Antwane Wells Jr., who has impressed coaches this spring, but wanted to bolster the offense with one more difference-maker to go along with Josh Vann and tight ends Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner, who is transferring in from Oklahoma. Rucker is that guy.

A Yazoo County High graduate from Yazoo City, Miss., Rucker originally signed with Arkansas State as a three-star prospect in the 2020 class.