Shane Beamer hired four additional players on National Signature Day, increasing the number of newcomers to the South Carolina football program to 20 and the number of places filled in the class to 24.
Beamer signed two previously committed contracts – Marion’s defensive tip TJ Sanders and New Orleans linebacker Kolbe Fields. The other two, linebacker Tavareon Martin-Scott of Dodge City (Kan.) JC and La’Dareyen Craig of Mobile, Alabama, announced their commitments and signed on February 3.
Clemson’s only activity on National Signature Day was the addition of Dutch Fork quarterback / receiver Will Taylor. The rest of Clemson’s recruiting class signed in December.
The Tigers hired a total of 19 high school players, and their recruiting class is ranked fifth by 247Sports and seventh by Rivals. This is Clemson’s fourth top 10 direct recruiting class using the 247Sports ratings. USC is ranked 78th by Rivals and 247Sports, a number impacted by the fact that Gamecocks have seven signatories to the NCAA transfer portal, which do not appear in the ratings.
The top 10 classes according to rivals are Alabama, Ohio, Texas A&M, Oregon, LSU, Georgia, Clemson, Southern Cal, Michigan and Notre Dame. The top 10 classes in 247Sports are Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, Oregon, Texas A&M, Southern Cal, Notre Dame and Michigan.
USC first offered Martin-Scott under Will Muschamp. Shane Beamer and his team continued their pursuit as soon as they boarded. He chose Gamecocks over the state of West Virginia and Mississippi. Martin-Scott said he is looking forward to a valuable piece in this new program.
“Coach Beamer came to me and I already had the offer, and as soon as Coach Muschamp was fired, Coach Beamer called me and said he liked me to be on board,” said Martin-Scott. “And I really like the city. I want to be in the south with this weather. And the weight room, I really want to develop my body and the coaches there are good for that.
Martin-Scott will play the spring season in Dodge City as he finishes his academic work and hopes to join the Gamecocks this summer. Last season, Martin-Scott added 42 tackles with 10 tackles and losses and 3 ½ sacks.
Craig chose Gamecocks over Mississippi State, and his high school coach feels that Gamecocks went out with a player who was overlooked because he was late to take his academics to a qualification level.
“He’s very fast,” said Baker High coach Steve Normand. “He not only plays football, he is also an obstacle course. If he did not win the state championship, he was among the top three in terms of speed. Its speed is phenomenal.
New Gamecocks secondary coach Torrian Gray was heavily involved in recruiting Craig. He gave him a simple summary of what he likes about him. “My size, my speed and my physicality,” said Craig, who had seven interceptions and broke 16 passes last season.
The Gamecocks safely lost Juwon Gaston of Montgomery, Alabama, who signed with Auburn.
Beamer still has a spot in the class and one player he’s looking at is Navy transfer cornerback BJ Gibson (6-5, 195) from Marietta, Georgia.
“He’s excited about it,” said Marietta High coach David Brunner. “He’s trying to evaluate everything now. He wants to be close to home. I think he will be visiting there (USC) next week or later. “
Brunner spoke to Gibson on Thursday and said he has a few other things at stake, but was not at liberty to publicize other offers for Gibson.
Some of Brunner’s offers that came out of high school were Army, James Madison, USF, Temple and Virginia. His father studied at West Point and his brother played basketball in Alabama.
Clemson is after another top linebacker in North Carolina, in Salisbury’s Jalon Walker. It is rated as a 4-star perspective on 247Sports Composite and is ranked No. 4 nationally among external linebackers. Walker has worked with a short list of Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Alabama and Auburn. And it was just offered by Miami on Wednesday.
Walker did not have an autumn season in 2020, but expects to play this spring after his basketball season. In 2019, he totaled 121 tackles, eight loss tackles, eight hurries, six pass deflections and three forced fumbles.
USC offered the 3-star defensive tip Quency Wiggins (6-6, 265) from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in January. Wiggins said he is talking to new defensive coordinator Clayton White and defensive end coach Mike Peterson, and is very interested in what they have to say.
“They want to make sure that I’m a player that they can catch,” said Wiggins. “Make sure I’m comfortable with everything. Make sure that I am not a player who will simply stay in the state. And I told them that I am not. I am a player who is going to the best school possible, and they are just trying to make sure that I know that this is the best school for me. I’m getting along with them and building a relationship. “
Wiggins has offerings from other SEC programs, including LSU.
“They are at one of the most difficult conferences in college football, so that stood out a lot for me,” said Wiggins of the SEC. “I have been thinking about all these schools and South Carolina was one of them. They attract many recruits and send many to the league. “
Wiggins added 45 tackles with 11 sacks last season. Louisville and others. He is ranked as the 31st strongest defensive nationally in the 247Sports Composite. He is ranked as the 24th customer in Louisiana.
Dequandre Smith of Spring Valley is attracting the interest of recruits as a defender and security guard. Last week, USC offered it as a guarantee. Michigan also offered it as security. His other offer is from Florida Atlantic as a quarterback, and Michigan State, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina and Akron are talking to him as a quarterback.
Smith said the position is irrelevant, but the Gamecocks offer is not. “It was very unexpected. I like the offer. It’s the school of my dreams, ”said Smith.
USC made several other offers for the 2022 class last week:
• 4-star quarterback Tanner Bailey (6-1, 195) from Gordo, Alabama. He was ranked as the country’s eighth professional-style player in the 247Sports Composite. Other offerings include Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Duke, Florida State, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech.
• Safety Mumu Ben-Wahad (6-0, 180) from Loganville, Georgia. He’s a former Cincinnati engagement. Some of its other offerings are Michigan State, Arizona State, Arkansas, West Virginia, TCU, Minnesota and Virginia.
• Jordan Allen’s cornerback (5-11, 182) from Lafayette, Louisiana. It was rated 3 stars and ranked as the 54th national corner in the 247Sports Composite. Some other offers are Georgia, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia Tech and Houston.
• The 4-star cornerback Jaeden Gould (6-2, 190) from Oradell, NJ He is ranked as the No. 16 cornerback nationally at 247 Sports Composite. Clemson offered it in January. Oklahoma, Texas, Southern Cal, Minnesota and Mississippi State are some other offerings.
• Linebacker Omar Graham (6-1, 205) from Fort Lauderdale. Florida State, Cincinnati, Mississippi State and Indiana also offered.
• Linebacker Micah Pollard (6-3, 200) from Jacksonville, Florida. Coastal Carolina, State of Arizona, State of Mississippi, Indiana and Penn State are some other offers.
• Wilfredo Aybar (6-4, 240) from Cheshire, Connecticut, 4-star defensive. He is classified as the 7th defensive winger nationally and the No. 1 prospect in Connecticut at 247 Sports Composite. He has 25 offers.
• Javae Gilmore 3-star linebacker (6-4, 200) from Amite, La. Arkansas, LSU, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Kentucky are some other offerings.
• The Grayson Mains offensive attack (6-5, 265) from Suwanee, Georgia. State of Arizona, Kansas, State of Michigan and State of Mississippi are some other offers.
• Defensive end Bryan Thomas (6-2, 215) from Winter Garden, Florida. Maryland, Minnesota and Liberty are some other offers.
• The 4-star safety Bryce Anderson (5-11, 187) from Beaumont, Texas. He is a national recruit with offers from all over the country.
• Offensive tackle Leyton Nelson (6-5, 272) from Orlando. Oregon, Pitt, Arizona State, UCF, Miami and USF are some other offerings.
The USC also made an offer to attack Dorman’s Markee Anderson (6-5, 280) for the 2023 class. He also received offers from Virginia Tech and Florida State. The previous USC team was the first to offer Anderson.
Clemson’s target, running back Trevor Etienne, from Jennings, Louisiana, was offered by Penn State. He is the brother of former Clemson runner Travis Etienne.
Clemson is among the top seven with the offensive attack Julian Armella (6-6, 300), from Miami. The others on his list are Alabama, Miami, LSU, Ohio State, Florida State and Florida.
Austin, TX quarterback Cade Klubnik, who attracted Clemson’s interest, was offered by Michigan and Penn State.
Jordan Burrell, of Blythewood’s defense, signed a contract with the Army.
North Myrtle Beach’s defensive side Chase Simmons signed to Syracuse.
Spring Valley running back Braylon Ratcliff signed with Wingate.