Gamecock signees that could contribute for Gamecocks as freshmen in 2022 season
THREE-STAR WR LANDON SAMSON
South Carolina had all sorts of issues at receiver this year. Josh Vann came out of his shell and became a difference maker, but the Gamecocks struggled to find a legitimate receiving threat outside of the former four-star recruit. Enter Samson. The Texas native comes from one of the nation’s elite high school programs at Southlake Carroll in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He’s a former high school teammate of one-time five-star recruit Quinn Ewers and has seen his recruiting stock soar in recent months.
There’s a belief in the South Carolina program that Samson could be the best prospect in the Gamecocks’ 2022 class. He’s a polished prospect who runs clean routes and finds ways to get open. You can’t ask for much more out of a high school receiver. I feel safe betting he records double-digit catches as a freshman barring anything unforeseen.
FOUR-STAR DB KEENAN NELSON JR.
This could be one of a handful of names, given how many defensive backs South Carolina signed this cycle. That said, I’m rolling with the highest-ranked prospect to ink with the Gamecocks this year in Keenan Nelson Jr. Nelson is one of three players the Gamecocks snagged out of the Mid-Atlantic and was a major coup for Beamer and his staff. Like Samson, Nelson comes from an elite football program at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia and boasted offers from major powers in Penn State, Georgia and Notre Dame, among others.
South Carolina’s secondary was a major question mark going into 2021. The Gamecocks overachieved in defensive coordinator Clayton White’s first year. Now comes replicating that success. All-American safety Jaylan Foster is off to the NFL. It’s conceivable R.J. Roderick could also leave — though he hasn’t publicly made any kind of decision. The Gamecocks brought in Washington State transfer Tyrese Ross last summer and he feels like a pretty safe bet to see more time next year. If Ross struggles, or if South Carolina needs to spell whoever else it might slide into the starting safety role vacated by Foster, Nelson feels like a solid option.
FOUR-STAR LINEBACKER STONE BLANTON
South Carolina fans were noticeably annoyed when four-star linebacker Jaishawn Barham flipped from USC to Maryland when the early signing period opened. And while Barham projected as a possible defensive end at the next level, his departure made Stone Blanton’s signing all the more important.
Blanton, from Madison, Mississippi, was long considered a lock to go to Mississippi State. He’d been committed to the Bulldogs’ baseball team for almost two years. It didn’t matter. The Madison-Ridgeland Academy standout flipped to South Carolina just days before signing day to give White and his staff a major thumper and old-school linebacker to build around in the middle. It’s possible South Carolina brings back both Sherrod Greene — who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3 and Brad Johnson, though that’s still TBD. Even if both come back, Damani Staley exhausted his eligibility and the Gamecocks remain relatively thin at linebacker. Blanton is a hard hitter who should be able to find a way onto the field at the least through special teams. He could also work into the mix at linebacker depending how things shake out with up-and-comers Mo Kaba and Debo Williams over the next nine months.
THREE-STAR WR LANDON SAMSON
South Carolina had all sorts of issues at receiver this year. Josh Vann came out of his shell and became a difference maker, but the Gamecocks struggled to find a legitimate receiving threat outside of the former four-star recruit. Enter Samson. The Texas native comes from one of the nation’s elite high school programs at Southlake Carroll in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He’s a former high school teammate of one-time five-star recruit Quinn Ewers and has seen his recruiting stock soar in recent months.
There’s a belief in the South Carolina program that Samson could be the best prospect in the Gamecocks’ 2022 class. He’s a polished prospect who runs clean routes and finds ways to get open. You can’t ask for much more out of a high school receiver. I feel safe betting he records double-digit catches as a freshman barring anything unforeseen.
FOUR-STAR DB KEENAN NELSON JR.
This could be one of a handful of names, given how many defensive backs South Carolina signed this cycle. That said, I’m rolling with the highest-ranked prospect to ink with the Gamecocks this year in Keenan Nelson Jr. Nelson is one of three players the Gamecocks snagged out of the Mid-Atlantic and was a major coup for Beamer and his staff. Like Samson, Nelson comes from an elite football program at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia and boasted offers from major powers in Penn State, Georgia and Notre Dame, among others.
South Carolina’s secondary was a major question mark going into 2021. The Gamecocks overachieved in defensive coordinator Clayton White’s first year. Now comes replicating that success. All-American safety Jaylan Foster is off to the NFL. It’s conceivable R.J. Roderick could also leave — though he hasn’t publicly made any kind of decision. The Gamecocks brought in Washington State transfer Tyrese Ross last summer and he feels like a pretty safe bet to see more time next year. If Ross struggles, or if South Carolina needs to spell whoever else it might slide into the starting safety role vacated by Foster, Nelson feels like a solid option.
FOUR-STAR LINEBACKER STONE BLANTON
South Carolina fans were noticeably annoyed when four-star linebacker Jaishawn Barham flipped from USC to Maryland when the early signing period opened. And while Barham projected as a possible defensive end at the next level, his departure made Stone Blanton’s signing all the more important.
Blanton, from Madison, Mississippi, was long considered a lock to go to Mississippi State. He’d been committed to the Bulldogs’ baseball team for almost two years. It didn’t matter. The Madison-Ridgeland Academy standout flipped to South Carolina just days before signing day to give White and his staff a major thumper and old-school linebacker to build around in the middle. It’s possible South Carolina brings back both Sherrod Greene — who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3 and Brad Johnson, though that’s still TBD. Even if both come back, Damani Staley exhausted his eligibility and the Gamecocks remain relatively thin at linebacker. Blanton is a hard hitter who should be able to find a way onto the field at the least through special teams. He could also work into the mix at linebacker depending how things shake out with up-and-comers Mo Kaba and Debo Williams over the next nine months.