South Carolina punter commit Mason Love lands All-American game invite
South Carolina punter commit Mason Love is one of two punters who were named to the Under Armour All-American game Sunday, according to Kohl’s Kicking.
The Riverside (Mo.) Park Hill South class of 2024 three-star prospect committed to the Gamecocks in June after taking an official visit to the school.
“I chose USC because Coach (Shane) Beamer and Coach (Pete) Lembo are the best special teams minds in the country and have proven success at developing guys and sending them to the NFL,” Love said when he committed.
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The On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average of the four major recruiting media sites, ranks Love as the No. 2 punter in his class while On3 ranks him third.
Kohl’s Kicking considers Love the No. 4 punter prospect in the country.
“Love put on a show at the 2023 Texas Showcase in the spring of 2023. He dominated the camp by winning the punt and field goal competitions at camp. His punt drill work was exceptional and he showed Power Five ability. Love’s hand-to-toe times were at the college level,” Kohl’s said in its scouting report on Love.
Current USC punter Kai Kroeger will be listed as a senior for the 2023 season, but technically has two years of eligibility remaining.
According to the feedback that Love got during his official visit to USC, the staff views him as the heir apparent to Kroeger.
“I think I’d be a great fit in their scheme. Kai has one or two seasons left and they really think I can be the next All-American punter,” Love said on Sunday. “They like my film and they like my technique and mature I am how much I pride myself on my technique. Stretching and recovery is huge for me, so they like that. I’m already starting to get used to that because I know other kickers, they might not stretch as much and, you know, it plays a big factor in kicking.”
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Punter Bobby Engslter, kickers Towns McGough and Kieran Corr, and long-snappers Cannon Skidmore and Alan Soukup rounded out the specialists that were invited to the Under Armour game.
The prestigious all-star game is set for January 2024 in Orlando.
South Carolina currently has 13 commits in its 2024 recruiting class, eight four-stars and five three-stars. The Gamecocks’ class is ranked No. 19 in the country, according to the On3 team recruiting rankings, powered by the On3 Industry Ranking.
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