Gamecock Digest

South Carolina Recruiting - Defensive Class Reviews

South Carolina has the 27th ranked recruiting class. Where do they stand and how could they improve?

Alex Joyce

Taeshawn Alston, the three-star EDGE from Henderson, NC, on his official visit to South Carolina on June 2nd, 2024,
Taeshawn Alston, the three-star EDGE from Henderson, NC, on his official visit to South Carolina on June 2nd, 2024, / Taeshawn Alston on X

Recruiting is the life blood of college football programs. No matter how talented of a X's and O's guy you have at the helm, there's typically a ceiling you hit before more talented teams take over. In today's world one can supplement recruiting with the transfer portal, but building through the high school ranks is still the best way to construct a roster.

Shane Beamer is no stranger to knowing the importance of recruiting. Prior to arriving in Columbia in 2021, Beamer learned under the likes of Phil Fulmer (Tennessee), Steve Spurrier (South Carolina), Kirby Smart (Georgia), and Lincoln Riley (Oklahoma). Each coach has been super successful on the field because of their recruiting prowess.

Believe it or not, Shane Beamer has been recruiting on the same level as Spurrier did when he was at South Carolina from 2005-2015. After down years under Will Muschamp, Beamer has upped the level of talent and depth in the room.

The 2025 class, however, is lacking so far with early signing day less than five months away. With more targets on the board and a season left to be played, what does this class look like going forward?

SI's Joseph Griffin took a look at the offensive side of this class. Now let's focus on the defenders and where the class stands.

Defensive Line

Four-star Caleb Williams is the top prize in the class so far. He stands almost 6-foot-6 with a 250 pound frame. Williams, who can be a versatile player in the future, projects best at the tackle position and will have to add weight to his overall frame at the next level. He is currently the only DL commit in the class (Edge rushers below). This is a spot Beamer and defensive coordinator Clayton White would like to add to before December.

Edge/Linebacker

The edge and linebacker positions are the meat of the 2025 class. We are going to combine them here as many of the commits could line up at LB, Edge, or OLB in the future. Taeshawn Alston is the highest rated commit for the position. Though a bit undersized at 6-foot-3, Alston, like many in this class, offers a ton of upside. Donovan Darden, Jaiden Braker, Kobby Sakyi-Prah, Jaquavious Dodd, Anthony Addison, and AJ Holloway round out the commitments at the position. This is the deepest position group so far in the class, followed closely by wide receiver. South Carolina would like to land one of the blue chippers in this class, but with four-star Bryce Davis commiting to rival Clemson, the Gamecocks may have their work cut out for them.

Defensive Back

This position group in the class has taken a bit of a hit with the loss of Shamari Earls. However there are some talented players in this group and possibly more on the way. The class is headlined by three-star safety Damarcus Leach and three-star corner Christopher Hatfield. With just two commitments in the class, the Gamecocks are looking to add more in the coming weeks. Lagonza Hayward, Kendall Daniels Jr., and Jontae Gilbert are names to watch.

The Gamecocks currently have the 27th ranked class in the country, according to 247 Sports. Coach Beamer and his staff will have their work cut out for them going forward if they want a third straight top 20 class (ranked 18th in the last two cycles).

Gamecocks 2025 Class:

  • Lex Cyrus, WR
  • Caleb Williams, DT
  • Shedrick Sarratt Jr, OT
  • Brian Rowe, WR
  • Jayden Sellers, WR
  • Taeshawn Alston, EDGE
  • Jaquel Holman, ATH
  • Donovan Darden, LB
  • Jaiden Brakder, EDGE
  • Kobby Sakyi-Prah, EDGE
  • Cutter Woods, QB
  • Jaquavious Dodd, EDGE
  • Anthony Addison, EDGE
  • Damarcus Leach, S
  • Christopher Hatfield, DB
  • AJ Holloway, LB
  • Preston Douglas, TE
  • Max Kelley, K
  • Kyler Farrow, LS

You Might Also Like:

Join the community:

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 X at @GamecocksDigest and on Facebook!

Published
Alex Joyce
ALEX JOYCE