Is Shaq Roland destined for South Carolina?

The state of South Carolina has recently produced top-tier recruits able to stack up with those from anywhere in the country.

Marcus Lattimore starred at Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) and was one of the top running backs in the class of 2010. Steve Spurrier was able to reel in Lattimore, who didn't disappoint. He rushed for 1,198 yards in the regular season and scored 19 touchdowns, earning him CBSSports.com Freshman of the Year honors.

Last month, Gamecocks fans were delighted as Spurrier again nabbed the state's top recruit, Jadeveon Clowney, who also happened to be No. 1 recruit in the class of 2011.

Clowney should be an instant difference-maker at South Carolina, and enters college with as much hype as any recruit in recent memory.



The Palmetto State has more gems in the 2012 class, led by Lexington athlete Shaq Roland.

A starter since his freshman season, Roland has demonstrated tremendous versatility and explosiveness at several positions. As a junior, he caught 58 passes for 1,033 yards and 10 scores. He's spent time playing wide receiver, defensive back, quarterback, tailback and special teams.

Furthermore, Roland is a coveted basketball recruit, with offers from several SEC programs.

Roland is the early favorite to be the state's top recruit in 2012. But is South Carolina the favorite to land him?

Apparently, they have a good chance.

According to Lexington head coach Scott Earley, Roland is not fond of the recruiting process, and has already narrowed his list down to four: South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, in no particular order. He plans to make a decision before the start of his senior season.



Earley describes Roland as a modest, family-centric young man who could do without the deluge of attention he's been receiving.

"He's a kid that doesn't really enjoy the recruiting process, I guess you could say," Earley said. "He's not a limelight kind of guy."

Lexington finished 10-4 last season, Earley's first with the team. The Wildcats were 5-7 in 2009. Much of that improvement is thanks to Roland, Earley said.

"You just don't come in here and turn around a program that quickly unless you had a great player," he said. "It had a lot to do with Shaq Roland."

Earley said that Roland is the most talented player he's ever coached, and has the ability to play two sports in college. That's something Roland seems determined to do.

"He really loves basketball, and he's very good at basketball," Earley said. "He's going to want to do both."



Roland has been to South Carolina "many times", according to Earley. He plans to visit Alabama on March 25, and expects to see Florida and Georgia during AAU-related basketball trips.

Given that Columbia is only 45 minutes from Lexington, the Gamecocks could have the inside track on Roland. Earley indicated that proximity to home was an important factor for Roland.

If Spurrier and staff end up signing Roland, not only will they have landed a homegrown, national recruit in each of the past three seasons, but they will also have a nice connection to Lexington quarterback Will Hunter, a 2014 recruit.

Earley said that Hunter, who stands 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, may be comparable to 2011 Notre Dame signee Everett Golson. Earley coached Golson at Myrtle Beach, and believes that, while Hunter may not be as mobile, he makes throws and reads as well as Golson at the same age.

"If he stays healthy, he has the chance to do the same things Everett did as a sophomore," he said, referencing Golson's 3,587-yard, 44-touchdown campaign as a 10th-grader.