USC’s recruiting hot streak continues. Gamecocks land four-star NC safety
Sitting in the Hough High School gymnasium as five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson committed to South Carolina on Wednesday was Dobson’s teammate, Davion Jones.
The four-star safety watched Dobson spurn Auburn, Michigan and Texas A&M while talking about how much relationships pushed him toward picking the Gamecocks. A day later, Jones did the same thing.
On Thursday night at an event space in Charlotte, Jones announced his pledge to South Carolina over Auburn, Georgia, and LSU.
“I didn’t know where (Dobson) was going and I called him the other day picking his brain,” Jones said. “(I was like), ‘Hey Josh,’ — being funny — ‘you trying to go to South Carolina?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah let’s do it.’ And he was serious about it. So I was like, ‘Alright, bet, we can do this.’”
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound North Carolina native is a Top 150 player and the No. 9 safety in America, per 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings for 2027. And Jones (the No. 6-ranked player in the Tar Heel State) becomes the third blue-chipper that the Gamecocks have grabbed out of North Carolina in this cycle, joining Dobson (the No. 1 player in the state) and DL John Archer (No. 7).
Jones, who transferred from West Charlotte to Hough a few months ago, took a bevy of official visits this offseason, traveling to Indiana, Clemson, Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, LSU. He finished off with South Carolina, where he spent the weekend with Dobson.
“It really didn’t matter to me, honestly,” Jones said of USC having the final visit.
What did matter? Coaching. The deciding factor in his pledge to the Gamecocks, Jones said, was defensive backs coach Torian Gray.
“Coach Gray, he’s a funny coach but he’s also a serious coach,” Jones said. “He knows when to be cool and when to get on you. I like that a lot. And I get along with coach Gray a lot, so I’m just ready to get the coaching from him.”
Even with the good news Thursday, South Carolina will have to continue to fend off the likes of Auburn and LSU until Jones officially signs in December.
He said he expects schools to continue recruiting him, adding that, “as of right now, I’m not shutting anything down until I talk with me people about shutting things down.”
Regardless, Jones’ announced continues South Carolina’s hot streak — a run of recruiting victories that may continue into the weekend.
The Gamecocks are a finalist for four-star Irmo offensive lineman Nate Carson, who commits Friday night, and the reported favorite to land four-star edge NC Jayden Broadie, who commits Saturday.
South Carolina football’s 2027 recruiting class
- 3-star quarterback Jerry Meyer III — committed on April 3
- Offensive lineman Will Endicott — committed on April 27
- 4-star defensive lineman John Archer — committed on April 29
- 3-star wide receiver DJ Huggins — committed on April 30
- 3-star tight end Judah Lancaster — committed on May 1
- 3-star offensive lineman Jaxon Elston — committed on May 10
- 4-star wide receiver Javien Robinson — committed on May 12
- 4-star running back Brayden Tyson — committed on May 15
- 3-star offensive lineman Clayton Lee — committed on June 17
- 3-star offensive lineman James Ross — committed on June 23
- 4-star wide receiver Iveon Lewis — committed on June 23
- 4-star cornerback Kelvin Millington — committed on June 25
- 3-star linebacker Jackson Ross — committed on June 28
- 5-star cornerback Josh Dobson — committed on July 1
- 4-star safety Davion Jones — committed on July 2
This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 7:16 PM.
