Chris Peal's Recruitment Becoming Vital
The Gamecocks are hot on the recruiting trail, bringing in several top-tier talents. They are heavily pursuing several big names, including corner Chris Peal.
Peal has flirted publicly with South Carolina, Michigan, and Georgia. He is one of the best defensive backs in the country and will weigh his options for the next month before deciding. He scheduled an official visit to Columbia for the South Carolina State game, but the game was moved due to Hurricane Ian.
He has confirmed in interviews that he will make the trip to South Carolina before deciding. Peal should be in town before the end of October, at which point the Charlotte, North Carolina, product will announce his decision.
Several big-time schools are awaiting his decision. He was initially a Georgia lean, but things have shifted, and the Gamecocks are gathering momentum. He's a strong talent that would be an immediate impact player for South Carolina, but what are his specific strengths?
SEC Physicality
You can't play defensive back in the SEC without being willing to absorb and dish out contact. Peal has a prototypical frame at 6-0 and 175 lbs. and uses his body to push receivers around at the line of scrimmage.
Peal prioritizes hand placement at the release point, ensuring receivers feel him before they enter their breaks. He also contests well at the catch point, leveraging his body without committing a penalty.
Head coach Shane Beamer likely appreciates his willingness to play run support. Peal works hard to get off blocks and find the ball, even when he isn't targeted in the passing game. He does an excellent job utilizing his hands and lateral agility to get inside blocks and cut off alleys.
Short Area Quickness
Many are enamored with Peal's long speed, and rightfully so. He's a legitimate track runner that clocks impressive times while testing; however, his short area quickness is what sets him apart while playing corner.
His high school asks him to play press-man coverage, meaning receivers work various releases on him. In modern football, wideouts will eventually beat you off the line, but Peal's footwork and hip flexibility allow him to make up early leverage in the blink of an eye.
While top-end speed is excellent, few wide receivers have the speed to blow right past a corner. Receivers create separation by working leverage, and Peal's ability to recover makes their job much more difficult.
Wealth Of Man Coverage Experience
Peal's tape is littered with highlights of man-coverage. His size and athleticism make him difficult to beat on an island, which is why his high school is content with letting him work on the boundary.
South Carolina works various concepts in their backend, but one point holds for every SEC school: if you can play man, you can play early. Peal can guard anyone in high school football right now in a one-on-one setting and should be able to hold his own at the college level immediately.
He will have to work on zone concepts and eye discipline when he arrives in college, but his ball-tracking skills should make that an easy transition. Peal has the potential to be an impact starter as a true freshman, but it all depends on the situation.
You Might Also Like:
- Jovaughn Gwyn Named SEC Player Of The Week
- Shane Beamer Discusses Reaching The Halfway Point
- MarShawn Lloyd Is A Budding Star
Join the community:
Follow Evan Crowell on Twitter: @EvanVCrowell
Follow Andrew Lyon on Twitter: @ALyon_SC
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @GamecocksDigest & follow us on Twitter at @GamecocksDigest.