Top in-state receiver taking long look at both Clemson and South Carolina

Skinner says he will take his time with the recruiting process.

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Wed Dec 02 14:01:03 GMT-04:00 2020

One of the state’s top receivers is taking his time in making an informed decision, and both Clemson and South Carolina are getting long looks.

Four-star talent wide receiver Jaleel Skinner (6-5, 200) out of Greer (SC) wants to be known as a wide receiver. Many colleges are recruiting him as your standard tight end, and in the 247Sports Composite for his class, he’s rated as a four-star tight end and ranked No. 2 nationally at the position, as well as the No. 3 prospect in the state.

But Skinner said while he has the size of a tight end, his skills and mindset are built around being a wide receiver at best, and a flex tight end at worst. And he said how recruiters approach him about how he will be used will be an important factor in his decision.

“It plays in a huge role,” Skinner said. “I don’t want to end up somewhere they are going to put 50 pounds on me to make me a blocking tight end when I know I can run and catch the ball. I want to go somewhere where I know I’m going to be catching the ball at a consistent rate. I feel like I can play more of the flex tight end where I can split-out, but I wouldn’t mind having to come in and block.”

Clemson and South Carolina are among his top schools at this point. He’s in touch with both, and his contact is with the tight end coach at both schools. With Clemson, that’s Danny Pearman.

“We’re building a tighter relationship day by day,” Skinner said. “I love talking to those guys. I love the program. I’m talking with (tight ends coach) Pearman and he’s telling me every day how things are going and he’s asking me how I’m doing, and he’s saying he can’t wait for me to get on campus and come on a visit. I love talking to coach Pearman. He’s a great guy. The way he handles his players, as you see Braden Galloway, he’s doing great so far this season.”

With the Gamecocks, Skinner is talking with Bobby Bentley. And of course, the No. 1 topic right now is the search for a new head coach.

“Hopefully they’ll get a new head coach sometime soon,” Skinner said. “Coach Bentley texted me the other day and said my offer still stands. They like me for wide receiver. They are telling me to come down to South Carolina and get the ball back rolling down there, and get some more of my South Carolina boys to come with me.”

Skinner said he’s also hearing a lot from Florida, which likes him as a flex-TE along the lines of Kyle Pitts, Tennessee, which likes him a wide receiver, LSU, which sees him as a flex and Miami, which is talking about him about playing a straight tight end position.

Skinner also has had on his favorites list Georgia, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Oregon and Florida State. He hopes to be able to start taking visits in April if the NCAA ends the dead period then, and he’d like to make his decision before his senior season.