Grayson "Pup" Howard Named A Preseason True Freshman All-American

South Carolina's Football team has a talented true freshmen class on the roster this season, and one of them received a huge preseason honor on Thursday.

Shane Beamer has reiterated time and time again this offseason how excited he is about South Carolina's true freshmen class, and for good reason. The class was rated the 16th best in the country according to 247sports Composite Rankings, their highest ranking since 2017. The class also had a blue chip ratio of 50 percent, meaning half of the class comprised of four and five-star prospects, which holds considerable weight regarding teams who can consistently compete for championships.

Some of these freshmen will likely be playing this season, including offensive lineman Markee Anderson, Jalon Kilgore, Nyckoles Harbor, Djay Braswell, and Grayson "Pup" Howard. Pup Howard, in particular, was a huge commitment in the 2023 recruiting cycle, as he helped recruit some of his fellow freshmen teammates to Carolina.

Howard's also viewed as one of the most talented freshmen linebackers to come to Columbia in several years, viewed as someone who plays the run game well from the second level but can also run sideline-to-sideline and sometimes help in zone coverage. Pup's skillset, military family background, and personality traits make him one of the more complete freshmen in America at his position. This was recognized by 247Sports, who named Howard a Preseason True Freshman All-American on Thursday.

🚨 247Sports' Preseason True Freshman All-American Team is OUT!

Is your team representing? https://t.co/tPbG4sKHQJ pic.twitter.com/kDv1kkqarC

— 247Sports (@247Sports) August 17, 2023

With Mohamed Kaba still getting back in the swing of things due to his ACL rehab from this offseason, Pup Howard could be relied on heavily from the jump, starting with the Gamecocks' week one contest against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

You Might Also Like:

• Debo Williams Discusses Importance Of 3rd Year In Clayton White's Defense
• The Best Performances Of Alshon Jeffery's College Career
• How Marcellas Dial Can Fill The Void At Cornerback

Join the community:

• Follow Andrew Lyon on Twitter: @ALyon_SC
• Follow Fisher Brewer on Twitter: @USCTalk
• Follow Joseph Griffin on Twitter: @JosephGriffinJG
• Follow Locked On Gamecocks on Youtube or wherever you get your podcasts

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter at @GamecocksDigest.