It appears that any decision Steve Spurrier was going to have to make when it came to a member of his most recent recruiting class has been made for him.
According to the Island Packet, USC signee Shameik Blackshear will not be prosecuted on a petit larceny charge. The decision was made after the alleged victim requested that the case be dropped.
It was alleged that Blackshear had taken a purse and safe from a Mill Creek (SC) home Feb. 7. The total value of the items contained in the purse and safe totaled nearly $1,400. He was arrested at his high school and charged with one count of petit larceny.
In late February, Spurrier stated that he would let the legal case play out before deciding on the touted prospect’s future with the football program. With the legal hurdle cleared, it appears it’ll be all systems go for Blackshear, who certainly has the talent to contribute immediately to the Gamecocks.
A four-star member of USC’s 2015 recruiting class, Blackshear was rated as the No. 18 strongside defensive end in the country and the No. 5 player at any position in the state of South Carolina. Only two other Gamecock defensive signees in a class that ranked 19th nationally were higher-rated than Blackshear.
Blackshear, the first commitment to USC’s 2015 class when he verballed back in May of 2013, earned those lofty recruiting marks despite missing most of the past two seasons due to injuries, one of which was an ACL tear incurred last September. Entering the 2015 season and prior to the significant knee injury, the 6-4, 245-pound lineman was the top-rated player in the state and was a Rivals.com five-star.
(Photo credit: Rivals.com)