South Carolina following a familiar blueprint in building 2022 recruiting class
In a 2022 recruiting cycle in which South Carolina is creating new inroads in the northeast and Texas, the Gamecocks are dipping back into familiar territory to fill out their class.
Of South Carolina’s 15 commitments in the 2022 class, five hail from Georgia — the most of any one state in the group and one player more than the four prospects committed from Florida.
Like Texas, California and Ohio, Georgia is among the most talent-rich states in the country for college football prospects. The top four players in the Peach State in the 2022 class are five-star prospects, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings that factor in all networks. Another 29 players in the state have at least four-star ratings, while each of the top 90 players from Georgia rank inside 247Sports’ top 1,000 prospects nationally.
“It’s difficult, because a lot of really good players in the state of South Carolina either stay regional, or they leave the state for high school and their recruitment kind of turns into a real national battle,” said Adam Friedman, Rivals’ national recruiting analyst and rankings director. “So it’s important for South Carolina, obviously, to recruit the Southeast — Georgia, Florida, those nearby states.”
Recent history shows South Carolina has a propensity for dipping into Georgia for prospects. The Gamecocks have added 83 football players from Georgia since 2010. USC also signed at least five players per class from the state every year between 2010 and 2020.
But for as many players from Georgia as South Carolina has brought in, the Gamecocks have made a living off securing pledges from mid-level players in the state and developing them into top-flight talent.
Between 2010 and 2021, just 14 of the 83 prospects — or roughly 17% — from Georgia that signed with USC have been rated as four-star prospects, according to 247Sports Composite. Running back Mike Davis was the highest-rated of the bunch at No. 47 nationally and the No. 3 prospect in Georgia in the class of 2012.
“South Carolina is going to be a projection and development program,” Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports’ director of recruiting, told The State. “They’re not going to just go out there and recruit top 10 classes. So it’s getting guys that maybe aren’t the best 17- or 18-year-olds, but they’ll be the best 21- to 22-year-olds.”
Following in line with classes of the not-so-distant past, South Carolina has put an emphasis on recruiting Georgia since Shane Beamer took office in December, while also extending its recruiting roots northward. Beamer’s staff has offered 37 Georgia products in the 2022 class according to 247Sports, the second most of any state behind Florida. By contrast, only 12 players in South Carolina have earned Gamecock offers this cycle.
Three-star linebacker Donovan Westmoreland has been among the biggest coups for the new staff in Columbia after South Carolina flipped the talented defender from Georgia in May. Westmoreland — who also throws shot put and discus at Griffin High School — finished his junior season with 84 tackles and 12 sacks.
Two of the Gamecocks’ offensive line commits in Cason Henry and Grayson Mains hail from Georgia. So do three-star safety Emory Floyd and three-star defensive tackle Felix Hixon — the most recent of South Carolina’s commitments.
USC also remains in the hunt for four-star tight end Oscar Delp. Delp, who visited Columbia last month and has family ties to the area, is rated the No. 85 player, No. 3 tight end and No. 9 prospect in Georgia, per 247Sports.
“It’s just a good feeling ‘cause I know there’s going to be a lot of people coming with me,” Westmoreland told The State of having a handful of other Georgia prospects in his class. “It’s a good feeling.”
In finding a head coach to replace Will Muschamp, Beamer was chosen, at least in part, due to his successes on the recruiting trail. As a former UGA assistant and a one-time member of Steve Spurrier’s staff at South Carolina that eventually landed Georgia natives like Connor Shaw and Davis, among others, Beamer has been around recruiting successes in the Peach State.
USC’s new staff has continued on the decade-long run of securing Georgia commitments. The strategy has translated to wins in the past. Now it’s on Beamer and his assistants to develop the Georgia products they’ll eventually have on campus into productive Southeastern Conference players.
This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
