He’s a rising five-star recruit and he’s got a best friend on South Carolina’s roster

South Carolina picked the perfect time to play its best game of the season in Saturday’s win over Auburn. In the house as a spectator was 5-star safety Kamari Wilson (6-foot-1, 180 pounds), a native of Fort Pierce, Florida who is playing at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Wilson’s best friend is USC freshman defensive end Gilbur Edmond.

When Edmond committed to the Gamecocks in January, Wilson expressed strong interest in them as well at that time. Since then, he has blown up as a national prospect with Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Texas, Florida State, Michigan, Southern Cal, Florida, Auburn, Nebraska and about 30 other major programs making offers.

Was Wilson close to joining his close friend with the Gamecocks back in January?

“He’s been seriously thinking about committing now that Gilber is going there,” Fort Pierce assistant coach Roscoe Barber said in February. “They are one of his top schools.”

Wilson is ranked the No. 22 prospect in the nation for his class in the 247Sports Composite. He’s the No. 1 ranked safety and the No. 3 prospect in Florida.

“There is nothing Kamari can’t do on the football field,” Briscoe said. “He came into our program wanting to make a name for himself and did just that through all the hard work and dedication he put in. He received his first offer from the University of Florida in the spring of his freshman year. Now, he has offers from South Carolina, Penn State, Indiana, Miami, Tennessee. This year (2019) he has played every position on our defense except for defensive tackle. He is a big time playmaker and wants to be great on and off the field.”

Saturday was not Wilson’s first time at USC. He was there with his 7-on-7 team for a tournament in the summer of 2019.

“We visited South Carolina last summer while on a college tour with our local 7-on-7 club, Treasure Coast Elite, and Kamari really enjoyed the visit,” Briscoe said in February. “Gilber being there does put them at the top of his list. They are very close. They are in the lead group.”

The Gamecocks have two junior safeties in RJ Roderick and Jaylin Dickerson who would be leaving after the 2021 season unless they take advantage of the free year the NCAA is granting to all who played this season.