‘I belong there’: Talented in-state QB recruit makes his feelings known for Gamecocks

With a day off from school Tuesday due to fall break, Greenville High quarterback Pro Franklin drove down to Columbia to watch the morning South Carolina practice and go through a photo shoot.

Franklin is angling for an offer from the Gamecocks, and Shane Beamer and Marcus Satterfield have him on their board. He’s also talking with Gamecock offensive analyst Nick Coleman.

“I went down there to take some pictures and hang out with the guys,” Franklin said. “I got to talk with coach Coleman at the end of practice. We were just talking about life. It wasn’t that football related. We were just catching up. Coach Beamer came up to me and thanked me for coming and taking time to come up there on fall break.”

After watching practice, Franklin went back to the Upstate convinced he could help the Gamecock program.

“I mean, I belong there,” Franklin said. “It just feels like home. Watching them practice really felt like backyard football to me. I think I would fit good in that program based on the practices. The drills they do, I do that at my school. I did those drills that they did as my warmup today in practice, just to picture myself, like can I do this at that level. I believe I can.

“I really enjoyed the practice. It’s like no other practice. They had refs out there. They had the surround sound system. The crowd and stuff, I really liked that stuff.”

Franklin also made an unofficial visit to USC for the Kentucky game. He has offers from Marshall, Charlotte, Eastern Kentucky, S.C. State, Lenoir-Rhyne and Fordham. All he can do about the Gamecocks and an offer is hope for the best.

“I want them to pull the trigger,” Franklin said. “I can’t wait. Hopefully, somehow this gets to coach Beamer.”

Franklin visited South Carolina State last weekend. He was scheduled for an official visit to Fordham earlier in the month, but the visit was postponed after his flight was canceled by the airline.

Franklin is among the state’s top passers despite not having games the past two weeks due to a COVID issue and a bye week. He has completed 116-167 passes for 1,836 yards and 18 touchdowns.