South Carolina has signed a top-20 recruiting class — according to the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings — in each of the last four cycles. Head coach Shane Beamer and his staff are working to make it five in a row this winter.
As of Aug. 16, the Gamecocks have the No. 25 class in the nation. That also ranks 13th out of 16 SEC teams. Some teams have already filled out an entire pledge list, but USC currently has just 17 total commits heading into football season.
Eight of the 17 commits in the class are blue-chippers. The headliner gave the Gamecocks what might be the biggest recruiting victory of the Beamer era on July 1. Cornelius (N.C.) William Amos Hough five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson chose USC over Michigan, Auburn, Texas A&M and others. He’s the highest-rated defensive commit in program history.
“I love the people at South Carolina. They always made it feel like home,” Dobson told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “The development, not only on the field, but off the field, was big too. They will help me become a better man. Also on the field, I know Coach Gray and Coach White will take care of me and develop me.”
Dobson also kicked off a massive string of commits for the Gamecocks last month. Each of the first four days of July brought a pledge from a blue-chipper. Dobson, Hough four-star safety Davion Jones, Irmo (S.C.) four-star interior offensive lineman Nate Carson and Raleigh (N.C.) Rolesville four-star EDGE Jayden Broadie vaulted South Carolina up to No. 25 in the team rankings.
Four of the six highest-ranked commits in the class will play their senior seasons in North Carolina this fall. Carson is the lone in-state four-star in the mix, while Snellville (Ga.) Brookwood four-star running back Brayden Tyson and Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee four-star CB Kelvin Millington are coming out of the Peach State.
Just six of the 17 commits in the class will line up on the defensive side of the ball, leaving 11 for offense. There’s five offensive linemen and three wide receivers scattered throughout the pledge list. Richmond (Va.) Huguenot four-star wide receiver Iveon Lewis flipped from Kentucky on June 23. Below is an updated look at the South Carolina class coming out of the summer:
South Carolina Commitments by Position
Quarterback
Three-star Jerry Meyer III, No. 1,053 NATL. (No. 55 QB)
Running Back
Four-star Brayden Tyson, No. 315 NATL. (No. 23 RB)
Wide Receiver
Four-star Iveon Lewis, No. 380 NATL. (No. 52 WR)
Three-star Javien Robinson, No. 441 NATL. (No. 60 WR)
Three-star DJ Huggins, No. 560 NATL. (No. 75 WR)
Tight End
Three-star Judah Lancaster, No. 893 NATL. (No. 42 TE)
Interior Offensive Lineman
Four-star Nate Carson, No. 218 NATL. (No. 15 IOL)
Three-star James Ross, No. 837 NATL. (No. 73 IOL)
Three-star Will Endicott, No. 1,023 NATL. (No. 89 IOL)
Three-star Jaxon Elston, No. 1,070 NATL. (No. 95 IOL)
Offensive Tackle
Three-star Clayton Lee, No. 1,019 NATL. (No. 75 OT)
Defensive Lineman
Four-star John Archer, No. 172 NATL. (No. 18 DL)
EDGE
Four-star Jayden Broadie, No. 375 NATL. (No. 36 EDGE)
Linebacker
Three-star Jackson Ross, No. 725 NATL. (No. 58 LB)
Cornerback
Five-star Joshua Dobson, No. 13 NATL. (No. 3 CB)
Four-star Kelvin Millington, No. 386 NATL. (No. 42 CB)
Safety
Four-star Davion Jones, No. 147 NATL. (No. 10 S)