Pete Leota
Video by Jeff Tyner, analysis by Wes Mitchell
Evaluation by Matt O'Brien
What I Like: Likely a future guard, Leota has good athleticism for the position – showing adequate knee bend, side-to-side agility, and balance when blocking. He has solid size for the position and appears to have the frame to support more muscle mass. Leota, although not a highly rated recruit, seems to fit the mold of what Coach Elliott likes from his interior offensive linemen.
Instant Impact? From my observations, Leota would benefit from a redshirt season to develop his positional skills and strength & conditioning. I like his long-term potential and believe he could end up being a starter for the Gamecocks as a guard.
Rivals rating: Based on how Rivals defines their ratings, I don’t have much of a problem with Leota’s two-star status. However, I believe there’s a good chance he outplays his rating once he develops under Coach Elliott.