Staying Home! Camden four-star DL Xzavier McLeod commits to South Carolina
Despite a strong push from several out-of-state programs, including national champion Georgia down the stretch, Camden (S.C.) class of 2023 four-star DL Xzavier McLeod is staying home and will play for South Carolina football.
The 6-foot-4.5, 325-pound McLeod announced a commitment to the Gamecocks Thursday evening during a ceremony on Camden’s home field at Zemp Stadium, just over 30 minutes from the University of South Carolina’s campus.
McLeod chooses South Carolina over fellow finalists Georgia, Florida, and Michigan. He had offers from those four and many others.
“The home school has the advantage,” McLeod told On3 prior to announcing his decision. “You will always be loved by your hometown and I think Shane Beamer is really building a program. That’s a good environment to be in.”
The On3 Consensus – a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies – has McLeod as the No. 189 overall prospect, No. 24 DL, and No. 3 in-state prospect in his class.
The commitment of McLeod is a major recruiting win for defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey who served as McLeod’s recruiter of record and future position coach.
While South Carolina was considered a heavy early favorite for McLeod, Lindsey and the Gamecocks were able to withstand major pushes from out-of-state programs over the last couple of months.
McLeod took official visits to LSU and Michigan in June and multiple unofficials to Georgia as well as an eye-opening unofficial to Texas A&M that had McLeod buzzing about the Aggies in the immediate aftermath. Florida was also considered a major factor at one point.
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While South Carolina was always thought to be the final pick, even down the stretch sources indicate McLeod heavily considered all of his final options. At one point earlier this week, there was a strong buzz that Georgia could be in position to land the interior line prospect.
But South Carolina stayed the course, ultimately landing the Palmetto State native who plays just 30 minutes down I-20 from Columbia.
Prior to his commitment, the Gamecocks were the favorite for McLeod according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, or RPM.
McLeod is the 18th commitment in South Carolina’s 2023 recruiting class, which was ranked No. 20 in the On3 Consensus Football Team Recruiting Rankings prior to his pledge.
It also gives South Carolina three of the top four prospects in the state of South Carolina according to the On3Consensus to go along with Dorman High’s Markee Anderson and Sumter’s Monteque Rhames. He is the eighth four-star commitment in the Gamecocks’ class.
