Gamecocks signee Shed Sarratt channels another sport to boost his football skills
Shedrick “Shed” Sarratt is known for what he can do on the football field as an offensive lineman.
But Gaffney High football coach Dan Jones thinks it’s his ability in another sport that can help him when he arrives at South Carolina to play for Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks.
“He has as good of feet as some of the defensive ends,” said Jones, who is retiring as Gaffney’s head coach. “A lot of it is from basketball, from changing direction, starting and stopping.”
The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Sarratt played for the Indians basketball team last season and averaged 6.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while hitting 75% of his field goals.
Sarratt’s footwork and athletic ability stood out when Pelion head coach Dann Holland saw him during practice for the Shrine Bowl of Carolinas. Holland was Sarratt’s position coach for the annual all-star game that matched the top seniors in North and South Carolina.
“He is going to be very good when he goes to college,” Holland said. “Everything comes natural to him. He is very fluid and he is not very mechanical. He is a physical kid.”
Sarratt was a three-year starter on the offensive line for Gaffney and was a finalist for this year’s Mr. Football award, given to the state’s top senior player. It’s rare that an offensive lineman is nominated for the award.
On the surface, Sarratt has a quiet demeanor, but he can be known as a bit of a jokester. Jones said Gaffney players gravitate toward him and his ability to be a leader for the team.
Sarratt averaged three knockdown and five pancake blocks a game and graded out at 88% blocking this season for the Indians at tackle. Jones thinks he might move to the interior for the Gamecocks. He is likely to play at guard or possibly at center, even though he didn’t play that position in high school.
“At tackle in the SEC, you have to be 6-6 or 6-7, so he is probably a guard or center,” Jones said. “He didn’t play center for us, but he is athletic enough to do that. He has enough skills that he won’t have a problem learning how to snap. He has the agility to play all through the offensive line.”
The Gamecocks have had success recently keeping top-flight offensive linemen at home, getting Dorman’s Markee Anderson in 2023, Dillon’s Josiah Thompson, and Greenville’s Blake Franks and Woodland’s Kam Pringle in 2024 to sign with the school. Thompson was a Day One starter at tackle last season while the others, except for Anderson (11 games), didn’t see much action.
Sarratt was intrigued by the chance to play on the line with other in-state players and be part of the USC program, which is coming off a 9-3 season headed to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
“I’m super excited to play for coach Beamer, We are an up-and-coming program and taking it step by step,” Sarratt said.
Sarratt will enroll in college in January and is looking forward to getting started. The Gamecocks are losing three starters on the offensive line and only signed two offensive lineman in the high school class with him and Damola Ajidahun of Duluth, Georgia. South Carolina has added Wake Forest tackle Nick Sharpe in the transfer portal.
“I am looking forward to learning so I have a chance to play early,” Sarratt said. “I want to get stronger and know I have a lot to learn but looking forward to getting the opportunity.”
This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 7:40 AM.
