Four-star offensive lineman from Irmo commits to South Carolina
We are in the midst of South Carolina’s most transformative recruiting week in years.
After landing commitments from five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson on Wednesday and four-star safety Davion Jones on Thursday, the Gamecocks hit their third jackpot in as many days.
At a ceremony in Saint Matthews on Friday, Irmo’s four-star offensive lineman Nate Carson announced his pledge to South Carolina over Clemson, Colorado and Georgia.
“After the (official visits) were over,” Carson said after his announcement, “and me and my family just sat back and thought about everything and talked about everything — I already knew I was gonna go to South Carolina.”
Carson becomes the fourth-highest-rated recruit in the Gamecocks’ 16-person 2027 recruiting class.
“He’s got a great opportunity to play past college,” Irmo coach Aaron Brand said Friday. “We have moved him to right tackle. I think, for the most part, that’s where he’s gonna end up. But he’s gonna (have) positional flexibility. He’s gonna be able to do everything. I even had him snapping the other day.”
A 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive tackle from the Midlands, the 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings slots Carson as a Top 300 recruit and Top 25 offensive tackle in America. Perhaps more noteworthy to USC fans, he’s ranked as the No. 6 player in the state of South Carolina, becoming the Gamecocks’ top 2027 in-state commit.
Over the summer, as the best players in South Carolina began committing to programs outside the state, the pressure mounted for the Gamecocks to land a big fish from the Palmetto State. Carson is that massive catch.
“Nate’s got familiarity with them and familiarity goes a long way with these kids,” Brand said. “And I think that crew had a relationship with him. Now, I really liked the relationship he had with (OL coach Matt) Luke at Clemson now. But at the end of the day, Nate’s a South Carolina fan and has family members who go down there, too.”
Carson becomes the fifth offensive lineman to commit to South Carolina under first-year OL coach Randy Clements and assistant OL coach Jason Smith, the former No. 2 overall pick.
“They had a big impact,” Carson said. “I trust them to develop me to go to the NFL because Coach Clem coached (Smith). They told me I could be the next one to do that, what he did.”
South Carolina’s July recruiting flurry has vaulted it up the recruiting rankings, and things could get even better. On Saturday, four-star NC edge Jayden Broadie, who’s reportedly favoring the Gamecocks, will make his decision.
Beyond that, Carson plans on acting as a recruiter to perhaps flip some of the Palmetto State’s top players to the Gamecocks.
“The best in South Carolina stay in South Carolina,” he said.
South Carolina football’s 2027 recruiting class
- 3-star quarterback Jerry Meyer III // Waxahachie, TX // Committed on April 3
- Offensive lineman Will Endicott // Prosper, TX // Committed on April 27
- 4-star defensive lineman John Archer // Fayetteville, NC // Committed on April 29
- 3-star wide receiver DJ Huggins // Kennesaw, GA // Committed on April 30
- 3-star tight end Judah Lancaster // Brentwood, TN // Committed on May 1
- 3-star offensive lineman Jaxon Elston // Oxford, AL // Committed on May 10
- 4-star wide receiver Javien Robinson // McKeesport, PA // Committed on May 12
- 4-star running back Brayden Tyson // Snellville, GA // Committed on May 15
- 3-star offensive lineman Clayton Lee // Callahan, FL // Committed on June 17
- 3-star offensive lineman James Ross // Columbia, SC (Ridge View HS) // Committed on June 23
- 4-star wide receiver Iveon Lewis // Richmond, VA // Committed on June 23
- 4-star cornerback Kelvin Millington // Bogart, GA // Committed on June 25
- 3-star linebacker Jackson Ross // Columbia, SC (Hammond School) // Committed on June 28
- 5-star cornerback Josh Dobson // Cornelius, NC // Committed on July 1
- 4-star safety Davion Jones // Cornelius, NC // Committed on July 2
- 4-star offensive lineman Nate Carson // Columbia, SC (Irmo HS) // Committed on July 3
This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 6:28 PM.
