Top Priorities Left For Gamecocks In 2023

In many ways, 2023 is the first real recruiting class for head coach Shane Beamer. There are several priority targets out there that the Gamecocks must pull in to complete this class.

Head coach Shane Beamer was dealt an unfair hand in the 2022 recruiting cycle; he only had a few months to cultivate relationships with the group, and even then managed to compile an impressive class.

Things are different in the 2023 cycle. Beamer has had a whole year to speak with these prospects and also gets to showcase a program that reflects his pillars, whereas the 2022 group was looking at the prior coaches' program.

The Gamecocks are off to a hot start with their class. National pundits laud Beamer and company for their early work with this signing class, as several players project as potential stars.

They currently have twenty commits in the class; while scholarship counting is pointless, it's reasonable to assume they only have a few spots left. Multiple high-caliber players would complete this class, and South Carolina will hope to land them all.

Nyckoles Harbor, EDGE/TE

Freak show should be Harbor's listed position. He is a one-percent athlete with legitimate aspirations to become an Olympic athlete; Harbor just happens to be 6-6 and 235 lbs. with the coordination to play either edge rusher or tight end.

Reports indicated that Harbor prefers to play on the offensive side of the ball in college, but South Carolina will likely let him do whatever he wants. Harbor was in Columbia over the weekend on his official visit and met with offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and defensive coordinator Clayton White.

Harbor is the top prospect for South Carolina and would be one of the greatest signings they would have in program history. Beamer will push hard for his signature, but this one may come down to the wire.

Jordan Hall, DL

Hall is an incredibly raw prospect, which is why he's considered a Georgia or Alabama lean. His pad level is inconsistent, and some conditioning work must be done before he sees an SEC field.

However, his intangibles are what every college coach scours the globe for. He's 6-4 and 300 lbs. with an 84-inch wingspan and strong hands; it doesn't get much cleaner than that. Hall played everything from a 4i into a two-gap, showcasing high school-level versatility.

He projects as a 3-tech with pass-rush upside or a 4i with an innate ability to stop the run. Whatever the case, he has to transition and commit to a role, so he's targeting a coaching staff with a defensive line pedigree. South Carolina fits that billing, and they may be able to work themselves back into this race.

Chris Peal, CB

Peal was an under-the-radar name until Georgia hopped all over him in early May. Since then, he has rocketed up the recruiting rankings and is becoming a legitimate star on the trail.

He is a long 6-0, with a 175 lbs. frame that is translatable. Peal can run for days and has clocked several impressive hundred-meter dash times. South Carolina loves him and hopes to get him in for a visit within the next few weeks.

Again, the Gamecocks are on the outside looking here, but you can never count Beamer out. They likely will lay out the red carpet for him, which has impressed several recruits in the past weeks.

South Carolina 2023 Class

• Dontavius Braswell, RB
  
• Kelton Henderson, WR
  
• CJ Adams, WR
  
• Vicari Swain, WR/CB
  
• Kamron Sandlin, TE
  
• Connor Cox, TE
  
• Oluwatosin Babalade, T
  
• Jatavius Shivers, T
  
• Isaiah Jatta, T
  
• Trovon Baugh, G
  
• Markee Anderson, G
  
• Zavion Hardy, DL
  
• Monteque Rhames, DL
  
• Xzavier Mcleod, DL
  
• Desmond Umeozulu, EDGE
  
• Grayson Howard, ILB
  
• Jalon Kilgore, S
  
• Cameron Upshaw, S
  
• Judge Collier, S

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