Gamecocks land second local prospect of the night in 2022 athlete
The South Carolina football program picked up its second commitment from a local standout on Tuesday night.
Spring Valley quarterback DQ Smith announced on his Twitter page his pledge to the Gamecocks. USC is recruiting him as a safety.
“I’m staying HOME #SpursUp” Smith tweeted along with a commitment graphic.
Smith picked the Gamecocks over Georgia Southern. He told The State last week he was down to the two schools. Georgia Southern was recruiting him as a quarterback, and new coach Clay Helton had a visit with Smith last week at Spring Valley.
“I wanted to really get it off my chest,” Smith told The State on Tuesday of his commitment timing. “I feels great. It was a tough decision deciding what school to go to. It is not a school for the next to four to five years. It is something that will last a lifetime.
“The (USC) coaching staff did a great job, treated me like family and it’s home. I get to play at home.”
Smith won’t sign until February and will take his official visit to South Carolina in January. The early signing period is Dec. 15-17. The late period begins Feb. 2.
247Sports Composite ranks Smith as a three-star prospect, No. 23 in South Carolina for Class of 2022.
Smith played defensive back as a freshman and in middle school before concentrating at quarterback. This season, he threw for just over 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for more than 500 and 14 TDs.
“I feel like I can play anywhere on the field,” Smith said. “I’m a good athlete and I can be physical. I have strong football IQ, ball skills and instincts. I work on my weaknesses a lot, and all of my weaknesses become strengths.”
South Carolina had been down a defensive back after three-star pledge Jy’Vonte McClendon was arrested on felony charges in Florida late last month. McClendon had been dropped from the commitment list.
USC has gone heavy on defensive players in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Of South Carolina’s 23 commitments, seven are defensive backs and 14 are slated to play defense at the college level.
Smith joins Chapin’s Zavier Short, who announced earlier Tuesday night that he was flipping from Appalachian State.
South Carolina’s 2022 class was ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 6 in the Southeastern Conference prior to Smith’s commitment, per 247Sports.
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This story was originally published December 14, 2021 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Gamecocks land second local prospect of the night in 2022 athlete."
