By Jim Johnson
SouthernPigskin.com

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Last Wednesday, Bryan McClendon made a trip down the coast to Richmond Hill, Georgia to give Sam James his first official offer.

Last Wednesday, Bryan McClendon, co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at South Carolina, made a trip down the coast to Richmond Hill, Georgia to give Sam James his first official offer.

“We were talking, and he was just saying that they would be really happy to have me,” said the sophomore WR/DB. “He wanted me to come up there and visit some time,” he continued.

The very next day, Georgia Tech came to visit, bringing with them the same kind words and opportunity for a free education that McClendon had brought, a day prior, and just as eager for him to visit.

The rising junior athlete, who projects almost certainly as a wideout at the next level, is listed at 6’2”, 160 pounds. He caught 24 passes for over 500 yards and 6 touchdowns, last season. As a returner, he compiled 253 kick return yards (21.1 per return), and another 29 off of punts (9.7 per return).

Defensively, he racked up over 50 total tackles, from free safety, as well as 3 interceptions for 35 yards, and 4 pass breakups.

James told me, “The strongest part of my game is making plays after the catch.”

As far as where he needs the most improvement, James simply said, “blocking.”

What Sam James most wants out of a school, when it comes time to make his decision, is a relationship similar to the one he has with his current coaching staff. “I can talk to my coaches about anything, and be open with them,” James said.

Upon being asked about his goals for the upcoming year, James stated, “For the team, I’m looking for us to go deep in the playoffs and improve upon last season. As for myself, I just want to improve my recruiting rating, and get some more offers.”

The playmaking receiver still has two seasons of high school football left, and he might start regretting that more offers statement later, when his mailbox starts to look like it might explode.

“I try to model my game after AJ Green,” said James. “In middle school, I decided I really wanted to play football and go further than just high school football. I remember watching some of AJ’s highlights and being like, ‘Dude, I want to be like him.’ I just love the way he plays and everything about him, like personality, character, everything.”

James wants to take things slowly and just enjoy the recruiting process. “I just want to wait and see what happens,” he said. He told me that he has not made plans to visit anywhere yet.

“I would like to hopefully commit to a school by the end of my junior year,” he stated.

Sam James absolutely has a little AJ Green him. On the field, the similarities speak for themselves. Off the field, James seems to possess a similar sort of loyalty that Green displayed during his recruitment. Sam James wants to pick his school before his senior year, and after that, if you ask me, you’re probably wasting your breath trying to convince him to flip.