ST. MATTHEWS -- Eric Mack wasn’t surprised when news of A.J. Cann’s commitment to the South Carolina Gamecocks reached him Wednesday afternoon.

“In a way, I kind of knew he was going to do that,” the 6-4, 315-pound Calhoun County offensive lineman said.

Mack had as much insight as anyone outside of Bamberg and Columbia heading into Wednesday’s announcement. Friday, Mack and Cann worked through a private camp with University of South Carolina offensive line coach Eric Wolford.

“It went well,” Mack said of the workout. “I could definitely see me and (Cann) playing together on the next level.”

Cann’s commitment gives the Gamecocks two of The T&D Region’s most coveted prospects heading into this season. Last week, Calhoun County’s Brandon Golson, who had 18 sacks in six games a season ago, committed to South Carolina. Cann’s teammate, Justin Henderson, has committed to Kentucky leaving just two highly recruited players -- Mack and Denmark-Olar’s Kendrick Frazier, of the Class of 2010 -- who have yet to commit.

Mack, ranked as the sixth-best guard in the nation by Rivals.com, has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, Miami, North Carolina, N.C. State, Oklahoma, Wake Forest and West Virginia. He said knowing his friend Alshon Jeffery and Golson were slated to be Gamecocks has had an effect on him.

“It has impacted me a lot,” he said. “I like playing with both of them.”

Frazier (6-3, 250) is ranked as the 30th-best strongside defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com, and has offers from Maryland, N.C. State, South Carolina and Wisconsin. But, his stock may be rising. At the Shrine Bowl combine held at Irmo High School on May 30, Frazier showed up and ran a 4.49 40-yard dash.

“Somebody that runs that fast that is that big on this level is unreal,” new Denmark-Olar head coach Butch Jacobs said. “I have never seen a player that big that fast.”

“I feel really good,” Frazier said. “I’ve been waiting on this to happen for a long time ... just to show up and tell everybody who I am.”

But, it should be expected that Cann’s commitment will be the last high-profile commitment until after football season. Frazier said he plans to wait at least that long, and Mack has long stated that he will wait, likely, until National Signing Day to make his decision public.

“I’ve liked every school that I have visited so far,” Mack said. “All have their own little different way. At South Carolina, I like coach Wolford. At Auburn, I feel like I’m at home. (Clemson) Coach (Chris) Rumph is from down here and he can relate to what I’m going through. At Georgia Tech, I like the atmosphere. So, right now, I’m (in St. Matthews) and that is basically it.”

T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

 

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