How many defensive players will Gamecocks take in 2018?
Feb. 09, 2017
In each of his first 2 recruiting cycles at South Carolina, coach Will Muschamp nearly went full bore, signing 24 prospects to national letters of intent.
However, the Gamecocks second-year head coach isn’t expected to announce that big of a class when he introduces the 2018 haul next February.
As things stand a little more than 2 weeks before spring practice begins, South Carolina is expected to have 11 scholarship seniors on the 2017 roster. But 7 players transferred since the end of last season, so the working number for the 2018 signing class will likely be closer to 20.
About 11 months before National Signing Day, SEC Country projects the numbers South Carolina could sign for each defensive position in 2018.
Defensive end: 2
If there’s a must-get recruit in 2018, then it’s 5-star Xavier Thomas, who transferred from Wilson High School in Florence, S.C., to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Clemson is the primary competitor.
Tyreek Johnson, a 3-star defensive end, deferred his enrollment to January of next year, making him one of the first pieces to the puzzle in the Gamecocks 2018 haul.
South Carolina’s 2017 senior class features a handful of defensive linemen, but Dante Sawyer is the only one who is an end. Plus, “Buck” end Boosie Whitlow announced his transfer earlier this week.
2017 signee(s): Brad Johnson, Aaron Sterling, MJ Webb
Defensive tackle: 2
One primary target is 4-star Rick Sandidge (Concord, N.C.), who has offers from several SEC schools, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
A couple of weeks after 4-star Josh Belk committed to Clemson, South Carolina offered junior college prospect Jabari Ellis, a Lake Marion (S.C.) High School product. There’s also an offer on the table to Saluda (S.C.) High School 3-star Kelijiha Brown.
The seniors on South Carolina’s roster are Ulric Jones and Taylor Stallworth.
2017 signee(s): Javon Kinlaw
Linebacker: 2-3
Dax Hollifield (Shelby, N.C.), a 4-star prospect, is among the hottest recruits in the 2018 cycle. He recently landing offers from LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame and Stanford. South Carolina, along with Virginia Tech and North Carolina, occupies a spot in his top 3.
There is a pair of 4-star outside linebackers from the state of Georgia worth watching: Quin Williams (Madison) and Zakoby McClain (Valdosta).
Linebackers Skai Moore and Bryson Allen-Williams exhaust their eligibility after this season. The Gamecocks lost Jalen Dread and Sherrod Pittman to transfer earlier this month.
Of the 4 who signed with South Carolina in 2017, 3 profile to play on the outside.
2017 signee(s): Davonne Bowen, Sherrod Greene, Damani Staley, Eldridge Thompson
Defensive back: 3
Nearly 30 prospects from the 2018 class received an offer to play defensive back at South Carolina. They include 3-star cornerback Steve Gilmore Jr. (Rock Hill, S.C.) and 3-star safety Israel Mukuamu, who recently moved to Bossier City, La., from the Charleston, S.C., area.
Even though the Gamecocks went heavy at defensive back in the 2017 cycle, they could be in position to sign multiple cornerbacks and safeties next February.
D.J. Smith is the only senior safety, but there would have been another if Jasper Sasser had not transferred. The senior cornerbacks are starters Jamarcus King and Chris Lammons.
The previous signing class included 2 safeties, 2 cornerbacks and 2 others who could potentially play either position.
2017 signee(s): Zay Brown, Jaylin Dickerson, Kaleb Chalmers, Tavyn Jackson, Keisean Nixon, Jamyest Williams
Feb. 09, 2017
In each of his first 2 recruiting cycles at South Carolina, coach Will Muschamp nearly went full bore, signing 24 prospects to national letters of intent.
However, the Gamecocks second-year head coach isn’t expected to announce that big of a class when he introduces the 2018 haul next February.
As things stand a little more than 2 weeks before spring practice begins, South Carolina is expected to have 11 scholarship seniors on the 2017 roster. But 7 players transferred since the end of last season, so the working number for the 2018 signing class will likely be closer to 20.
About 11 months before National Signing Day, SEC Country projects the numbers South Carolina could sign for each defensive position in 2018.
Defensive end: 2
If there’s a must-get recruit in 2018, then it’s 5-star Xavier Thomas, who transferred from Wilson High School in Florence, S.C., to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Clemson is the primary competitor.
Tyreek Johnson, a 3-star defensive end, deferred his enrollment to January of next year, making him one of the first pieces to the puzzle in the Gamecocks 2018 haul.
South Carolina’s 2017 senior class features a handful of defensive linemen, but Dante Sawyer is the only one who is an end. Plus, “Buck” end Boosie Whitlow announced his transfer earlier this week.
2017 signee(s): Brad Johnson, Aaron Sterling, MJ Webb
Defensive tackle: 2
One primary target is 4-star Rick Sandidge (Concord, N.C.), who has offers from several SEC schools, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
A couple of weeks after 4-star Josh Belk committed to Clemson, South Carolina offered junior college prospect Jabari Ellis, a Lake Marion (S.C.) High School product. There’s also an offer on the table to Saluda (S.C.) High School 3-star Kelijiha Brown.
The seniors on South Carolina’s roster are Ulric Jones and Taylor Stallworth.
2017 signee(s): Javon Kinlaw
Linebacker: 2-3
Dax Hollifield (Shelby, N.C.), a 4-star prospect, is among the hottest recruits in the 2018 cycle. He recently landing offers from LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame and Stanford. South Carolina, along with Virginia Tech and North Carolina, occupies a spot in his top 3.
There is a pair of 4-star outside linebackers from the state of Georgia worth watching: Quin Williams (Madison) and Zakoby McClain (Valdosta).
Linebackers Skai Moore and Bryson Allen-Williams exhaust their eligibility after this season. The Gamecocks lost Jalen Dread and Sherrod Pittman to transfer earlier this month.
Of the 4 who signed with South Carolina in 2017, 3 profile to play on the outside.
2017 signee(s): Davonne Bowen, Sherrod Greene, Damani Staley, Eldridge Thompson
Defensive back: 3
Nearly 30 prospects from the 2018 class received an offer to play defensive back at South Carolina. They include 3-star cornerback Steve Gilmore Jr. (Rock Hill, S.C.) and 3-star safety Israel Mukuamu, who recently moved to Bossier City, La., from the Charleston, S.C., area.
Even though the Gamecocks went heavy at defensive back in the 2017 cycle, they could be in position to sign multiple cornerbacks and safeties next February.
D.J. Smith is the only senior safety, but there would have been another if Jasper Sasser had not transferred. The senior cornerbacks are starters Jamarcus King and Chris Lammons.
The previous signing class included 2 safeties, 2 cornerbacks and 2 others who could potentially play either position.
2017 signee(s): Zay Brown, Jaylin Dickerson, Kaleb Chalmers, Tavyn Jackson, Keisean Nixon, Jamyest Williams
