South Carolina running back SeaShawn Lloyd is getting a lot of recognition about his role in Gamecocks, getting Debo Williams from the transfer portal, but he’s not the only ass who helped bring a childhood friend to Columbia during the off-season.
Last season star at the SEC, Gamecocks running back Kevin Harris, helped David Spaulding chose Carolina after joining the transfer portal after two seasons at Georgia Southern.
Spaulding, a defensive defender, attended high school with Harris at the Bradwell Institute in Georgia. When he needed a new football home, Spaulding knew he could count on Harris to tell him the honest truth about the Gamecocks football program and the university.
“Since I grew up with Kevin, I could trust his word and not doubt what he was saying to me,” said Spaulding. “He was a big part of that. I believed what I said and went with him. I am about actions, not words. What I saw in the way he grew up as a player and as a person was what triggered me. “
Listed at 6-1 and 190 pounds, Spaulding says he is practicing in all three positions in high school during the spring camp with the Gamecocks after enrolling in January.
After becoming a real freshman in 2019, Spaulding played eight games as a corner kick in 2020 with Georgia Southern. He recorded seven tackles, a pass break and an interception, which was returned 28 yards for a touchdown against the Appalachian State.
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When asked about Harris’ success last season, 1,138 running yards and 16 total touchdowns in 10 games, Spaulding was not surprised.
“He was always a great player, even in interviews (with the media) at school, I would always say that he has size and talent in the NFL,” said Spaulding. “Since we were little, we played (together) in high school, elementary school, etc. I always saw that side of him that most people hadn’t seen. He didn’t surprise me because he was always great. “
Harris was a three-star contender in Bradwell’s 2019 class. South Carolina was its only five power offer among a list of scholarships from the Air Force, Army, Navy, The Citadel, Cornell, Furman, Wofford and Tulane. Three years later, he is the return of the SEC’s regular season racing leader and now has a reputation as a recruiter alongside Lloyd and his new coaches.