By Ross Johnson

Sports Writer

Troup High defensive back Cadarious Sanders committed to play for South Carolina Saturday, making him the third Tiger to pledge to an SEC school in the class of 2010.

The 6-foot-1 Sanders, who also played quarterback at Troup, joins fullback Brandon Worle (LSU) and defensive lineman J.C. Copeland (Tennessee) as three players who have seemingly ended their college football recruitment.

“I like everything about it,” Sanders said of South Carolina. “They’ve got a real stout defense and their DBs are real aggressive. I like their coaching style.”

The three-star prospect on Rivals. com said South Carolina set itself apart from other schools because the Gamecocks’ coaching staff kept in close contact with him.

“They stayed in contact with me, when other schools didn’t talk to me as much,” said Sanders, who has scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Louisville and others.

Sanders is the 15th commitment in Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier’s 2010 class, but the incoming senior said it was offensive line coach Eric Wolford who solidified his commitment.

“I talk to Coach Wolford a lot, but I talked to Coach Spurrier when I first got there (last weekend),” Sanders said. “He told me he wanted me to go out there and show them what I could do.”

Sanders and Troup head coach Bubba Jeter made the trip to South Carolina as soon as Troup’s picture day ended Saturday morning.

Sanders was among a handful of players who participated in a workout, according to Jeter.

“It was real good. There were a limited number of players there,” Jeter said. “He had a real good workout. I think they were really impressed.”

Sanders had to choose between two workouts over the weekend, one at Florida and one at South Carolina.

Jeter said he chose South Carolina because of the school’s interest in him.

“They told him if he had a real good workout, it was likely he’d be offered,” Jeter said. “He had a real good camp, a real good 40 time.”

When he was done, Jeter said Spurrier offered Sanders a scholarship, and he said yes.

Sanders said the pressure is off and he can concentrate on his final season at Troup.

“I can’t say that other schools will stop recruiting me,” Sanders said. “But no other schools have been calling me. It helps me focus on the team.”

Jeter, meanwhile, enjoyed the time he got to spend with Spurrier, who built a dynasty at Florida.

It was the first time Jeter met the “old ball coach.”

“We got to talking football, and we had a good talk,” Jeter said.