In-state receiver Elijah Caldwell reacts to South Carolina offer

South Carolina on Friday offered Shrine Bowl wide receiver Elijah Caldwell, as receivers coach Justin Stepp seeks to add to the group of three receivers who signed with the Gamecocks in December.

Caldwell (6-1, 190) was one of the state’s top receivers this season. He committed to West Virginia in July but broke off that pledge Dec. 19. That’s when Stepp stepped up his involvement.

“It started after I decommitted,” Caldwell said. “Coach Stepp hit me up. He told me he really liked me and would be looking into me. We stayed in contact and we really started talking a lot after the Shrine Bowl.”

In the Shrine Bowl, Caldwell snagged four passes for 61 yards as the Sandlappers pulled out the victory. For the season at Northwestern, he caught 77 passes for 1,365 yards and 20 touchdowns.

“(Stepp) told me he loves the way I play,” Caldwell said. “The offensive coordinator (Dowell Loggains) said they love the way I play and how aggressive I am. They really think I can be a game changer and play in the state I’m from.’

Caldwell has drawn a good bit of major attention since his decommitment, and the Gamecocks will have a good shot to land him once he takes an official visit in January. The date for that has not been set.

“I feel good about it as of right now,” Caldwell said. “I’m taking it all in. There’s been a lot of schools contact me. I’m just trying to get it narrowed down and figure out where I’m going.”

Caldwell has set an official visit to N.C. State for Jan. 13. He said he’s also been talking a good bit to Georgia Tech, Purdue and Mississippi State. Tech and Purdue have offered, while Mississippi State has not.