Why four-star WR Donovan Murph reclassified to join USC Gamecocks a year earlier
Donovan Murph stood at the front of Irmo High School’s auditorium holding court like he was running for public office. One of the photographers watching the scene turned to the guy next to him.
“Media trained,” he said.
Following Irmo’s February signing day ceremony, Murph spoke for almost 10 minutes about his decision to sign with South Carolina, delving into his recruiting process and sparking dreams of USC’s future by saying, “I think we can have an Ohio State-type receiving corps.”
He did this while donning two sparkling diamond chains and wearing shoes of which the price includes a comma. If you didn’t know the story, you’d think Murph just wrapped up his rookie season in the NFL.
Except when he spoke on stage, he looked to his grandmother and thanked her for always taking him places, adding, “Now I’ve got my license, so I’m moving different.”
Yes, Murph just started driving. He is so young that his head coach at Irmo, Aaron Brand, thought he was still 16, calling over to Murph’s dad, who clarified that Murph turned 17 on Oct. 1.
All this signing day stuff really shouldn’t have happened for another year. But the four-star prospect — who’s ranked as a Top 25 receiver in the nation and the third-best player in South Carolina — hit fast forward in October when Murph announced he was reclassifying up a year to be eligible in the Class of 2025.
“It was really just a family decision,” said Murph, who will enroll at USC in May. “The coaches felt I was ready and when I did make the decision, South Carolina stood by me. They said they don’t care when I come — ‘25, ‘26, it really didn’t matter.”
Brand also completely understood.
From a football standpoint, Irmo’s quarterback (and Brand’s son), AJ Brand, was graduating and coach Brand figured Murph didn’t want to get adjusted to a new high school quarterback. In two years catching passes from Brand, Murph had 153 receptions for over 2,400 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Perhaps more importantly, Murph’s grades and parental support were so strong that taking on the extra academic workload for early graduation wasn’t impossible.
And, then, he knew Murph sought better resources — especially for his body. Heck, he was already taking care of himself like a 10-year NFL vet, using cryotherapy and working with a chiropractor and yoga instructor to ensure he never missed a practice.
“I don’t wanna say we maxed out with him, but he had done everything right,” Brand said. “And with the way they’re paying these kids now — you never know what could happen with an injury. You’ve got a chance to get your family in some ideal situations, it’s tough not to take that chance, that leap.”
The reclassification decision meant Murph’s recruitment was expedited. Instead of 14 months to recruit him, schools had just two months before he was putting pen to paper.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising then that his recruitment came down to the Palmetto State’s two big schools: South Carolina and Clemson.
Murph took his official visit to South Carolina in November — at Williams-Brice when the Gamecocks upset No. 10 Texas A&M and fans rushed the field. He officially visited Clemson two weeks later, but was also back the week after to watch the Gamecocks pull out a road upset against the Tigers.
He kept his intentions quiet even through December’s early signing day. He actually signed with USC then but chose not to publicly commit until doing so on live TV during the Under Armour All-American Game in January.
All the while, he was a constant presence on social media and at one point even said that Clemson was leading his recruitment.
“It was funny,” Murph said. “There would be grown people on Twitter coming at you. ... I had a lot of fun on Twitter. It’s fun, posting, going to these different places, because at the end of the day, it’s not just an experience for you, it’s an experience for your family.”
That’s evident considering Murph acknowledged on Wednesday that he had committed to head coach Shane Beamer ahead of the Gamecocks’ matchup against Ole Miss ... in October, just four days after he chose to reclassify.
“I kind of told Beamer, ‘This is the place I wanna be,’ ” Murph said. “I’m just glad he believes in me and I believe in what he’s trying to do.”
Belief comes in abundance for Murph. Brand sees it every time a pass goes in the air and his 6-foot-2, 190-pound receiver looks at it like a Border Collie tracking a Frisbee.
“Don’s gonna get it,” Brand said. “He’s gonna get it. He’s gonna catch it. The only thing Don’s gotta work on is, you know, (grabbing it) at his highest point. But if it touches his hands, it’s like glue.”
The belief is clear in the way Murph speaks of his future with conviction. He is confident without being arrogant. He says some wild things — admitting he’s trying to “get that gold jacket,” meaning becoming an NFL Hall of Famer — but he says it so calmly and matter-of-factly that you start to believe him.
Which makes it hard to cast too much doubt when, at 17 years old, still months away from graduating high school, walking into USC’s loaded, young wide receiver room full of guys who have a head start, he says this:
“That’s my next goal. I want to be the greatest in college football,” Murph said. “I want to be the greatest in the NFL.”
South Carolina’s signing class: the offense
- Quarterback (1): Cutter Woods
- Wide receiver (6): Malik Clark, Lex Cyrus, Jordon Gidron, Donovan Murph, Brian Rowe, Jayden Sellers
- Tight end (1): Mike Tyler
- Offensive line (2): Damola Ajidahun, Shedrick Surratt Jr.
