The Gamecocks’ offensive line prospects

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The Gamecocks’ offensive line prospects

October 03, 2017

South Carolina recruiting: OL work

Given the recent stretch of rough play by the South Carolina offensive line, let’s take a look at where things stand for the Gamecocks’ offensive line recruiting.

There are five 3-star prospects (247Sports composite) committed to sign with South Carolina during the 2018 recruiting cycle:

Maxwell Iyama (6-foot-5, 299 pounds)

• Murfreesboro, Tenn.
• Siegel High School
• No. 37 OT, No. 13 in Tennessee
• Other offers: Georgia, Louisville, Mississippi State, Missouri, Tennessee

Wyatt Campbell (6-7, 290)

• Lugoff, S.C.
• Lugoff-Elgin High School
• No. 68 offensive tackle, No. 15 in South Carolina
• Other offers: Arizona State, Duke, Louisville, Maryland, Missouri, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Hank Manos (6-4, 275)

• Chapin, S.C.
• Chapin High School
• No. 12 center, No. 10 in South Carolina
• Other offers: Duke, N.C. State, Wake Forest

Jesus Gibbs (6-4, 265)

• Dumfries, Va.
• Potomac High School
• No. 72 offensive tackle, No. 17 in Virginia
• Other offers: Boston College, N.C. State, Syracuse, Virginia, Wake Forest

LaMarius Benson (6-3, 330)

• Covington, Ga.
• Eastside High School
• No. 80 defensive tackle, No. 114 in Georgia
• Other offers: Georgia Tech, Maryland

South Carolina remains in the mix for at least two other 2018 offensive line prospects: 4-star tackle Dylan Wonnum and 3-star guard Jovaughn Gwyn.

Wonnum, the younger brother of sophomore ‘Buck’ D.J. Wonnum, is also considering Auburn. The 6-5, 279-pound prospect from Tucker (Ga.) High School isn’t expected to make a decision until December. Nationally, he’s the No. 9 offensive tackle and the No. 93 overall prospect in the Class of 2018.

Gwyn, who participated in The Opening Final in the summer, is ranked as the No. 18 guard in the country. The 6-3, 290-pound prospect from Charlotte, N.C. is also considering N.C. State and Duke. There is no timeline for his decision.

The 2019 class

South Carolina offensive line coach Eric Wolford has offered a handful of 2019 prospects, including Kamren McCray, a 6-6, 330-pound prospect from Berkeley High School in Moncks Corner, S.C. To date, the Gamecocks are his only offer.

Among the other, more highly recruited prospects with a South Carolina offer is 4-star tackle Warren McClendon, who’s related to the Gamecocks co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon.

Ranked 15 spots ahead of McClendon (6-4, 270) in the overall prospects rankings for 2019 is 4-star tackle Michael Tarquin, who’s already taken multiple visits to South Carolina. Tarquin (6-5, 290) is from Belleview, Fla.; McClendon attends Brunswick High School in Georgia.

Three-star prospect Chris Akporoghene, a 6-5, 275-pound tackler out of Seymour, Tenn., is originally from Nigeria. Both he and McClendon are among the prospects already confirmed as guests for the Arkansas game this Saturday.

he 2017 haul

Of the six offensive linemen signed by South Carolina in February, junior college transfer Dennis Daley is the only one who’s seen action this season. It serves as a reminder that it’s often difficult for offensive linemen to make a quick jump from high school to college. Daley, of course, signed again with South Carolina as the No. 8 JUCO offensive tackle.

A quick look at the redshirting freshmen, all of whom were rated as 3-star prospects:

Eric Douglas

• Charlotte, N.C.
• Mallard Creek High School
• No. 54 defensive tackle, No. 16 in North Carolina
• Other offers: California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi State, N.C. State, North Carolina

Summie Carlay

• Laurens, S.C.
• Laurens High School
• No. 60 offensive tackle, No. 8 in South Carolina
• Other offers: N.C. State

Jordon Carty

• Hollywood, Fla.
• South Broward High School
• No. 79 offensive tackle, No. 114 in Florida
• Other offers: Kentucky, Mississippi State, N.C. State, North Carolina, Oregon State, West Virginia

Jordan Rhodes

• Fairburn, Ga.
• Creekside High School
• No. 107 offensive tackle, No. 118 in Georgia
• Other offers: Mississippi State, Missouri

Though Carty and Rhodes were the lowest-rated offensive linemen the Gamecocks signed earlier this year, both are high-upside prospects who could eventually evolve into starting tackles.