South Carolina gets final chance to make impression with local four-star lineman
South Carolina will get a last chance to make another impression on Nate Carson.
The Irmo High four-star offensive lineman will take his final official visit to the Gamecocks this weekend before getting ready to announce his college choice on the evening of July 3 during a broadcast on CBS Sports’ YouTube Channel.
Carson got a jump on his weekend plans by paying a visit to USC on Thursday to watch the Shane Beamer 7-on-7 football camp.
“South Carolina, their message has always been stay home,” Carson said. “It is going to be a good visit. I just want to have fun. I have been here a lot, so it is nothing new.”
The Gamecocks are one of five teams Carson is considering. The others are Clemson, Colorado, Georgia and Texas A&M. Tennessee was in the mix, but Colorado took the place of the Vols among his top schools.
Carson told 247Sports earlier this month that Clemson and Georgia were 1A and 1B, but he isn’t ruling any school out.
“It was a great visit,” Carson said of Clemson. “They are coming off a down year, but their message is not to worry about that. We have seen what they have done for years.”
Carson previously said his main priorities for choosing a school were education, how a school develops a player for the NFL and just the relationships with the players and coaching staff.
The Gamecocks have four offensive line commitments for the Class of 2027 after Clayton Lee picked USC earlier this week. The other offensive linemen pledges are John Archer, Jaxon Elston and Will Endicott.
South Carolina has yet to land an in-state product for the Class of 2027. The Gamecocks have one Irmo High player on the roster in receiver Donovan Murph, and former Yellow Jacket Nick Emmanwori played for the Gamecocks and is in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Gamecocks offered Carson in September 2024 before a game against LSU. South Carolina was Carson’s first Division I offer.
Carson started his career at Gray Collegiate and transferred to Irmo before his sophomore season. He has been a fixture at tackle for the Yellow Jackets, who played in two straight state championship games.
Carson played in the Under Armour All-American game in January.
“He is the best offensive lineman in the state,” Irmo coach Aaron Brand said of Carson. “We are constantly on Nate playing to the best of his ability. But he has had a great spring, summer. Strength is one of the biggest things he needed to improve on. He has gotten a lot stronger, and we are looking forward to this being the best year ever for him.”
According to Gamecock247, Carson is one of four official visitors on USC’s final recruiting weekend of the summer. There is a dead period from June 22-July 31. Other official visitors include Spain Park (Ala.) DE Marquis Evans and two Hough (NC) teammates, CB Joshua Dobson and S Davion Jones. Dobson played at Catawba Ridge in South Carolina before transferring in the spring.
