The South Carolina Gamecocks continued to hit their recruiting targets on Wednesday as class of 2023 safety Jalon Kilgore committed to the program.
By Steve Wright
Kilgore – a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder – is a recruit that the Gamecocks managed to attract from out of state. The Putnam County (Eatonton, GA) High School star is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 444 player in the country, the No. 44 safety, and the No. 43 player in Georgia.
Kilgore is liked more by the 247Sports scouts. They have him as the No. 30 safety in the class and the No. 36 player in the state. He picked the Gamecocks over a slew of schools from the Southeast, including Florida, Clemson, and Florida State. Kilgore is an athlete ready to be turned into a football player. He was the 2021 Georgia Region 4-AA Athlete of the Year as a junior. He was a state champion long jumper as a sophomore. It will be interesting to see how Kilgore is used as a senior this fall.
Collegiately, Kilgore profiles as a hybrid safety given his size and speed. He is going to be able to run with wide receivers, but won’t be shy about stepping up into the box to take on running backs. In the video below you can see his play on both sides of the ball.
The first play is one where Kilgore’s ability to read and react to the ball in the air led to his ability to show just how he can hit with that athletic frame. The second play shows off the hybrid skills he will use at South Carolina. He rides a block like it isn’t there and only has eyes for the ball carrier coming through the hole. Kilgore’s tackle technique is flawless as he performs a double leg takedown on the running backstopping him in his tracks. Later plays show his coverage skills are also high-end.
Kilgore will be one to watch for in Columbia.
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