EHRHARDT - South Carolina added its fifth commitment of the 2014 class Saturday afternoon when four-star tight end Kevin Crosby (Bamberg/Bamberg-Ehrhardt) committed to the Gamecocks during a ceremony at his church.

Four-star TE Kevin Crosby committed to South Carolina Saturday.

"It feels real good to know that I'm going to be a Gamecock, that I'm going to be a part of the Gamecock family, Gamecock Nation," Crosby said. "They showed me a lot of love and that's why I feel like I fit in there. I feel like I can excel in their program and on the academic side as well. It's a big ole weight off my shoulders."

The 6-foot-2, 236-pound prospect chose the Gamecocks over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and LSU among a multitude of other offers. He says he made his final decision Friday night.

"It was really tough," Crosby said. "You've got Alabama, Clemson and all these great programs coming at you, but at the end of the day, you've just got to go where you feel most comfortable and where is going to be the best for you, not anybody else."

Crosby was recruited to Carolina by running backs coach Everette Sands and is Sands' first commitment of the 2014 cycle. Crosby says the way Sands handled the process was a major positive in the Gamecocks' favor.

"I think the reason why I liked South Carolina is they weren't sweating me like everybody," Crosby said. "Everybody else was always asking me so many questions. South Carolina kind of backed off me a little bit, but they kept recruiting me and kept coming down here and making visits. That's kind of what makes them stand out. I was used to everybody else just pressuring me. It meant a lot to me in the end."

Crosby has said for some time that he likes the way the Gamecocks use tight ends in their offense.

"I started learning a little more about them," he said a few weeks ago. "I really thought they were a run-based team, but they use their tight ends like 59 percent of the time, together in the game, it's two tight ends. I could look at it as even if I'm not there starting tight end, there's going to be two in the game, so you still have a better chance of playing."

Crosby nearly committed to the Gamecocks last summer following the Gamecock Showcase Camp, but ultimately decided to hold off. Crosby and his family wanted to make sure he was completely ready to make a decision before doing so.

Running backs coach Everette Sands recruited Kevin Crosby to the Gamecocks.

Crosby says he's now finished with the process and won't be taking visits to any other schools. His father, Bamberg-Ehrhardt head coach Kevin "Butch" Crosby reiterated that point.

"It's been tough and it's been difficult, and we're glad the process is over with," the elder Crosby said. "There are still schools that are going to still be trying to come in and the thing people will have to realize is that at Bamberg, since we've been coaching, we haven't had a kid who has decommitted yet.

"We're not about decommitting. As long as the school upholds their scholarship then we're going to uphold our end of the commitment. Even though he's verbally committed to South Carolina, for us it's a solid commitment -- he's not looking at any other schools, he's not thinking about any other schools. One thing that we preach to our kids in Bamberg is be committed once you're committed."

The younger Crosby will now turn his attention to trying to get other prospects to join him in Columbia

"I'm on my grind right now," Crosby said. "As soon as i get home I'm going to get on my Facebook, make a Twitter, and start making new friends so I can try to get those guys committed and to jump on board at South Carolina."

Crosby is ranked the No. 6 tight end in the country and the No. 8 player in South Carolina by 247Sports. In the industry-generated 247Composite, Crosby is ranked the No. 8 tight end in the country, the No. 7 prospect in South Carolina and the No. 260 prospect in the country.

Crosby is the fifth commitment in the Gamecocks' class of 2014. He joins four-star linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams, three-stars tight end Kalan Ritchie and fullback/linebacker Joe Blue, and two-star offensive lineman Malik Young on the Gamecocks' commitment list.

Insider Notes: Kevin Crosby

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