South Carolina’s 2020 recruiting class breakdown: Stars, sleepers and more
With 17 recruits signed and officially a part of South Carolina’s 2020 recruiting class after a whirlwind Wednesday, let’s take stock of the group Will Muschamp and his staff added to the Gamecocks.
STARS
Five-star defensive lineman Jordan Burch — For the second year in a row, South Carolina has reeled in an in-state superstar defensive lineman. In the class of 2019, it was Zacch Pickens, who wound up being ranked No. 8 nationally. Burch is even higher, at No. 5, and his recruitment was fiercely contested by the nation’s biggest heavyweights — Clemson, Alabama, Georgia and LSU were his other four finalists. So the impact of his decision to stay home and play for the Gamecocks is hard to overstate, especially for embattled head coach Will Muschamp. At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, Burch is big and has the frame to add even more weight if needed, but also fast and quick with his feet, like the very best edge rushers. (He is committed to USC but has not officially signed yet.) With him in the fold, South Carolina’s defensive line has as much talent as just about anyone.
Four-star running back MarShawn Lloyd — Just as Ryan Hilinski was South Carolina’s quarterback recruit of the future last year, Lloyd is the Gamecocks’ next great hope at running back. The highest-rated running back the program has had in a decade, Lloyd is a powerful, punishing back with experience in one of the top high school leagues in the country. His speed (4.51 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and explosiveness (37.9-inch vertical jump) are also top-notch, and in a running back room losing its top three players by yardage, he’ll have the chance to step in and play right away.
Four-star quarterback Luke Doty — Doty continues two strong traditions for South Carolina recruits — he’s the program’s third consecutive Elite 11 finalist, and he’s the third future Gamecock in a row to win South Carolina’s Mr. Football award. The nation’s No. 2 dual-threat quarterback, Doty committed to USC in July 2018 and has steadily climbed in the rankings since then with outstanding junior and senior campaigns in which he threw for a combined 4,913 yards and 61 touchdowns and rushed for 1,109 yards and 11 more scores in 23 total games. He and Hilinski have developed a friendship over the past year or so, but there could very likely be a quarterback competition brewing if Doty plays to his potential right away.
SLEEPERS
Three-star athlete Eric Shaw — He was listed as a tight end when he first committed, but when Shaw signed Wednesday, South Carolina had him down as an athlete. That’s because Shaw might be just as good at defending passes as he is at catching them. Playing linebacker as a senior, he had 128 tackles, four sacks and three interceptions on defense, while also catching 26 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns as a hybrid tight end/wide receiver. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, the raw physical tools are there, and he could be a star on either end for the Gamecocks.
Three-star cornerback Dominick Hill — Will Muschamp has gone all-in on tall defensive backs over the past few years, with most of the Gamecocks’ secondary now standing 6-foot or taller. Hill continues that trend, listed at 6-foot even and likely to be an inch or two taller in cleats. What’s more, the three-star DB comes from a strong high school program that won three consecutive district titles and reached the state title game this year in Florida, always a talent-rich area. Hill led the way on defense with six interceptions, but yet he still ranks outside the top 850 in the 247Sports Composite ratings.
Three-star defensive lineman Makius Scott — Oregon made a late push for Scott, who hovers right above the No. 1,000 mark in the composite rankings. He’ll be a big, big presence inside, coming in at 6-foot-3 and 306 pounds, but he complements that with speed and athleticism that is rare for a player his size. A three-sport athlete in high school, Scott already has girth comparable to the likes of the departing Javon Kinlaw and Kobe Smith.
NUMBERS
16 — With the signing day additions of Jordan Burch and Jaheim Bell, South Carolina climbed from No. 18 to No. 16 in the 247Sports Composite rankings. If the Gamecocks are able to hold that position, it would mark the program’s highest finish since 2012.
30 — South Carolina’s “other” running back recruit besides MarShawn Lloyd is Rashad Amos, out of Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia, and he’s no slouch. As a senior, he rushed for 30 touchdowns in 14 games, seventh in the state according to MaxPreps, as well as 1,324 yards, boosting his team to the state semifinals.
35.3% — Of the 17 players to sign with South Carolina, only six are likely to end up on the defensive side of the ball. At just over a third, that percentage will likely rise with the expected signings of Jordan Burch and Alex Huntley. But it will still likely wind up being the smallest defensive group of the Muschamp era as a proportion of the overall class.
WHERE THEY’RE FROM
Georgia - 6
South Carolina - 5
North Carolina - 2
Alabama - 1
Florida - 1
Delaware - 1
Virginia - 1
POSITION BREAKDOWN
Quarterback - 1
Running back - 2
Wide receiver - 2
Offensive line - 4
Defensive line - 2
Linebacker - 1
Defensive back - 3
Athlete - 2
This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 7:43 PM.
