5 defensive targets to know for South Carolina’s 2024 recruiting cycle
South Carolina’s recruiting hot streak hasn’t slowed down.
The Gamecocks have already landed five commitments in the 2024 class — though only one is on defense.
USC has shown promise under the direction of defensive coordinator Clayton White. The Gamecocks hope that carries weight during the next recruiting cycle.
Here’s a look at five names South Carolina would love to add in the 2024 class:
DL Hevin Brown-Shuler
Atlanta, Georgia | Ranking: Four-star, No. 72 overall
Hevin Brown-Shuler has been a priority target for Shane Beamer and his staff since their early months on campus.
He picked up an offer from South Carolina in March 2021 and has been on at least three unofficial visits to Columbia since then. Brown-Shuler’s offer list has continued to grow, and any battle for his services should also likely include Michigan, Clemson and others.
Sterling Lucas and Jimmy Lindsey have done wonders in recruiting defensive linemen since they arrived at South Carolina. Landing a player in the trenches like Brown-Shuler would be another coup for a program that hasn’t been able to do much wrong on the recruiting trail of late.
It should also help that Brown-Shuler comes from the same high school program as 2023 offensive line signee Trovon Baugh.
DB Kelvin Hunter
Florence, South Carolina | Ranking: Three-star, No. 400 overall
South Carolina’s recruiting efforts, particularly at defensive back, have already begun to bear fruit.
Freshmen Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith quickly evolved into starters in the Gamecocks secondary this past fall, while Keenan Nelson, Kajuan Banks and Peyton Williams should all see major snaps in 2023.
Hunter could be one of a couple takes at defensive back in the 2024 class and would mark another nice get in-state. The West Florence product likely projects as a safety at the next level, but has the versatility to play all over the field.
This may be the first of the names on this list to become a public commitment. Hunter has two 247Sports Crystal Ball picks favoring South Carolina, and it’s a race that should be the Gamecocks’ to lose.
DE Booker Pickett Jr.
Tampa, Florida | Ranking: Four-star, No. 52 overall
The state of Florida has long been a recruiting pipeline for the Gamecocks. Booker Pickett Jr. is among the next in that long lineage of prospects from the Tampa area.
Pickett announced a top nine that included USC, Tennessee, Florida State, Miami, Southern Cal, Ohio State, Georgia, Louisville and Penn State.
Such a star-studded offer list shouldn’t be all that surprising. Pickett has amassed 60 sacks in his first three years of high school football, including 30 as a junior.
South Carolina has had some success in pulling defensive players out of Florida since Beamer took over. (There are defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr., linebacker Grayson “Pup” Howard and Kajuan Banks, to name a few.)
How likely the Gamecocks are to be a player in Pickett’s recruitment remains to be seen, but getting included in a whittled-down list is nice start.
CB Braydon Lee
Upper Marlboro, Maryland | Ranking: Four-star, No. 114 overall
South Carolina has done an incredibly impressive job dipping into the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area for talent in Beamer’s short tenure. Lee could be the next big get from the region.
The 6-foot-1, 163-pounder is one of the higher-rated defensive backs on the Gamecocks’ board and would help fill out a cornerback room that will have lost experienced pieces in Cam Smith, Darius Rush and Marcellas Dial by the time he’d land on campus.
There are a number of big-time programs involved with Lee’s recruitment. Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Notre Dame are among those who have offered.
South Carolina had to fight off major pushes from Oregon, Michigan and Maryland for five-star recruit Nyckoles Harbor out of D.C. during the 2023 cycle. Don’t be surprised if this turns into another tough battle in the DMV.
DE Dylan Stewart
Washington, D.C. | Ranking: Four-star, No. 35 overall
Speaking of the DMV, Dylan Stewart is another player the Gamecocks continue to make inroads with.
Stewart is a former high school teammate of 2023 signee Desmond Umeozulu and, like Lee, has just about everyone in America on him.
South Carolina has some notable depth issues at defensive end following the departures of Jordan Burch (Oregon) and Gilber Edmond (Florida State). That’s not to mention four-star 2023 import Monteque Rhames’ future with the program is TBD pending a resolution on his arrest earlier this month.
Stewart’s rankings range pretty widely depending on your recruiting site of choice. He’s technically listed as the No. 35 player in the 2023 class by the 247Sports Composite — which is a combination of all the major sites — but 247Sports’ in-house rankings have him at No. 126 overall.
Still, Stewart would be another huge get for Beamer and his staff out of D.C. if they can withstand Georgia, Alabama and a slew of other major programs for his services.
