Decisions, decisions, decisions; local football recruits getting closer to National Signing Day

National Signing Day is now less than two weeks away. It’s crunch time in the recruiting world and Nick McCloud is ready for it to be over.

Most would think a teenager with college football coaches fawning over him would bask in the attention.

“It’s kind of stressful,” McCloud said Wednesday after school. “I’ve got 23 offers and I can’t go to all 23 schools, so I guess it’s trying to please every school is the most stressful thing.”

“I’m just ready for him to pick a place that wants him,” said McCloud’s father, Nakia. “It gets kind of stressful with the home visits, coaches always hitting him up, talking to him. I’ll be glad when it’s over so he can get back to work, back to training and get focused.”

McCloud’s final three schools are almost certainly Vanderbilt, N.C. State and Georgia Tech (no particular order). Each school sees the 6-foot-2 ball-hawk as a cornerback.

McCloud had an in-home visit recently with N.C. State after visiting the school in December. He also had in-home meetings with Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech and he’s visiting Tech’s Atlanta campus this weekend. McCloud said the biggest differentiation among the three would be figuring out where he could contribute on the field the earliest.

“I think I can go to the League anywhere I go,” said McCloud, referencing the NFL. “They’ve got good education everywhere I would go, so I’ll be fine.”

Friday’s trip to Atlanta is especially interesting. The Yellow Jackets have only recruited McCloud for about a month, but he has family in the area, it’s not too far from home and the program annually competes for an ACC championship.

The younger McCloud said he’ll probably just wait to announce his decision on National Signing Day, Feb. 3.

One school he definitely won’t be picking is South Carolina. Many in the area had clamored for the Gamecocks and new coach Will Muschamp to offer McCloud, but that doesn’t seem likely to happen. Nakia McCloud said the new coaches liked McCloud’s ability but they said that it was a numbers issue.

“It is what it is and I ain’t gonna worry about it,” Nick McCloud said. “I’ve got other good options.”

Nick McCloud seemed miffed that neither South Carolina nor Clemson offered him. But another added bonus of the three schools he likes, is a chance to show the Gamecocks or Tigers what they missed.

“He’s got a little chip on his shoulder,” said Nakia McCloud, smiling.

Tuipulotu liked South Carolina, visits BYU this weekend

That Nation Ford senior Hank Tuipulotu is going on his two-year Mormon mission is not debatable. Where he ends up playing college football after that two-year experience is up in the air.

Tuipulotu committed to BYU last July, but the firmness of that agreement wobbled when BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall left to take the Virginia job. Around the same time, South Carolina hired Will Muschamp and he and running backs coach Bobby Bentley quickly got in contact with Tuipulotu.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound tight end and his family made the short trip down to Columbia after Nation Ford’s basketball game at Gaffney last Friday for an official visit with the Gamecocks.

“He had a good visit,” said Nation Ford football coach Michael Allen. “After talking with him, he was really impressed.”

N.C. State has been in the mix throughout, and Virginia may get involved. Mendenhall, the coach that recruited Tuipulotu at BYU, could also reach out to his former recruit. Virginia hasn’t contacted Allen, but he said that was the same way with that coaching staff when it was at BYU; the school’s coaches contacted him after the fact because they already had connections with Tuipulotu’s dad, Peter.

All of the schools are recruiting Tuipulotu as a tight end. Allen mentioned that none of the schools still interested in Tuipulotu have any issue with him taking the two-year mission. When he returns, he’ll be a 20-year old freshman with four years of playing eligibility remaining.

South Carolina’s draw lies in its proximity to Fort Mill and Tuipulotu’s family, as well as the high level of competition in the SEC.

Even if the distance to Utah is much farther, Tuipulotu’s links with BYU are strong. BYU has a number of advantages, including religion, and Tuipulotu’s uncle and father both played football for the Cougars.

The school’s Polynesian cultural connection is also attractive, and Tuipulotu may be interested in playing for Kalani Sitake, BYU’s new head coach and the first FBS head coach of Tongan descent.

Peter Tuipulotu was baptized the same day as former BYU Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer. Detmer is now the Cougars’ offensive coordinator.

“There’s a pretty heavy connection there,” said Allen. “So... who knows? He’s got big decisions to make.”

Jordan Helms commits to North Greenville

Nation Ford senior Jordan Helms announced on Twitter Monday that he’d committed to play football at North Greenville, opting for the Crusaders over South Carolina State and Newberry.

Allen said North Greenville will use Helms exactly like Nation Ford did, as a sure-handed slot receiver/tight end. Helms made 172 catches the last two seasons for 1,925 yards and 16 touchdowns.

More football recruiting news

▪ Nation Ford QB Cole Martin has offers from North Greenville, Wingate and Stetson, but Allen said his standout gunslinger may wait until after signing day to decide his future, to see where certain recruits land and don’t land. Martin threw for over 5,000 yards this season as a senior.

▪ Two other Nation Ford Falcons - Charlie Newton and Josh Shade - are also receiving plenty of recruiting interest. Newton’s impressive senior season highlights earned the attention of South Carolina State and North Carolina A&T.

▪ Shortly after Northwestern won the 4A Division II state title in December, offers rolled in for junior offensive duo Jerry Howard and Gage Moloney. Howard, the Trojans’ standout running back, picked up offers from Western Carolina, Appalachian State and Gardner-Webb. Moloney, the quarterback, was offered by Appalachian State.

▪ Northwestern teammate Trae’von Hinton said he plans to visit Division II powerhouse Valdosta State. The Georgia-based school has won three national titles since 2004 and wants Hinton to play linebacker.

▪ South Pointe pass-catcher Quay Brown will visit Tennessee State and N.C. Central the next two weekends. Brown became the school’s first 1,000-yard receiver this season and caught two touchdown passes in both of the Stallions’ state title victories the last two seasons.

▪ Former South Pointe receiving standout Anthony Johnson plans to visit South Alabama on Jan. 29. Johnson played junior college football in Iowa the last two seasons.

▪ York coach Bobby Carroll said senior defensive end Deivonne Chalk will be visiting South Carolina State, Gardner-Webb and Western Carolina. Receiver Preston Robinson plans to check out Coastal Carolina, Wingate and Wofford and linebacker Nick Sturgill will visit Walsh University, a Division II school in Ohio.

▪ Logan Rudolph received an offer from Miami (Fla.) earlier this week, bringing his total to around 29.

▪ Derion Kendrick recently pulled an offer from Penn State. Kendrick - the standout sophomore defensive back - made 75 tackles and intercepted three passes this past fall, while also scoring 10 total offensive touchdowns. He missed nearly all of South Pointe’s playoff run with a sprained ankle.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 6:24 PM with the headline "Decisions, decisions, decisions; local football recruits getting closer to National Signing Day."