South Carolina added four entrants on Wednesday to its 2021 recruiting class, with all the new additions on the defensive side of the ball and three from high school and one from junior college.
The quartet consists of linebackers Tavareon Martin-Scott and Kolbe Fields, cornerback La’Dareyen Craig and striker TJ Sanders.
The Gamecocks also hoped to land the three-star safety Juwon Gaston of Montgomery, Alabama, before signing with Auburn.
USC’s recruitment ranked 76th nationally by 247Sports and the last of the SEC’s 14 programs. Vanderbilt in 49th was the only other SEC team ranked outside the top-32 and 10 teams were in 27th or more.
Coach Shane Beamer has signed 13 players since signing on December 6 and added seven transfers. Among the new Gamecocks, 12 are already on campus.
“A small number from an autograph class and we knew it,” said Beamer. “When you look at our numbers and ratings, yes, it’s small, it’s low, it was on purpose. When you talk about the ratings, nobody talks about the guys who were transferred from other places who are fantastic players who will help this team right away.
“We were selective with the guys we brought to this program. It wasn’t just looking at the transfer portal and saying: let’s get the 10 most talented guys we can. They had to adapt to the environment and culture that we tried to bring here and we feel that they do. “
Martin-Scott (6 ft-3, 215 pounds) will play this spring’s season at Dodge City (Kansas) Junior College and plans to join Gamecocks this summer. He made 42 tackles with a 10 1/2 loss and 3 1/2 sacks last year.
He initially received a USC offer from former coach Will Muschamp. West Virginia and the state of Mississippi were his other finalists, and he received offers from companies like Washington, Houston and Arizona.
“I already had the offer and as soon as Coach Muschamp was fired, Coach Beamer called me and said he would like me to participate,” Martin-Scott told Phil Kornblut of SportsTalk Media Network. “And I like the city. I want to be in the south with that climate. And the weight room, I really want to develop my body, and the coaches there are good for that.”
New defensive coordinator / linebacker coach Clayton White told Martin-Scott: “He will make me a better player and develop my skills to another level. He said that the position I’m playing will give me the opportunity to show the scouts that I’m very flexible and can do a lot of things. ”
Craig (6-2, 180) played at Baker High School in Mobile, Alabama, where he had seven interceptions and broke 16 additional passes last season. He chose Gamecocks over the state of Mississippi and also made offers from the state of Oregon and southern Mississippi.
Craig told Kornblut about the USC team: “I love you. They look really genuine. “
His high school trainer, Steve Normand, shared Craig’s skill set for Kornblut.
“He is very fast. He not only plays football, he is also an obstacle. Its speed is phenomenal. He’s a real guy 4.3, 4.4. He’s very long. This is probably the most positive thing about the boy is that he is 6-2, but he has a very long wingspan, has a wide range. Your feet are very good. Your ball skills are excellent. It has a lot of potential to be a very good corner. “
Fields, 6 ft-1, 205 pounds, played at Archbishop Rummel in Metairie, Louisiana, registering 58 tackles, including six by defeat and a pair of sacks last season. He recorded 105 tackles, including 10 for defeat, with three interceptions and two forced fumbles as a junior. He had committed to Memphis before the USC offer.
“From day one, Kolbe and (Martin-Scott) were at the top of our list (on the linebacker),” said Beamer. “We said these are the two guys and we were chasing them.”
Sanders, 6 feet-4, 285 pounds, helped Marion make it to the Class 2A state championship game last season. He averaged a double-double in basketball as a junior.
“It will always be important for us to keep the best South Carolina players at home,” said Beamer. “He’s one of those guys, so we’re lucky that he’s coming towards us.”
► Here is the complete list of the 13 signatories in USC Class 2021, including nine players who signed in December and four who signed on Wednesday.
• DL Nick Barrett (6-2, 310) Goldsboro, North Carolina (Eastern Wayne HS)
• DB La’Dareyen Craig (6-2, 175) Mobile, Alabama (Baker)
• ATH O’Mega Blake (6-2, 190) Rock Hill (South Pointe)
• OL Jordan Davis (6-4, 300) Fairburn, Georgia (Creekside)
• DB Marcellas Dial (6-0, 190) Woodruff (Woodruff HS / Georgia Military)
• OLB Kolbe Fields (6-1, 205) New Orleans, Louisiana (Archbishop Rummel)
• QB Colten Gauthier (6-3, 210) Bethlehem, Georgia (Hebron Christian Academy)
• OLB Tavareon Martin-Scott (6-3, 220) Fort Wayne, Indiana (Snider HS / Dodge City CC)
• RB Caleb McDowell (5-8, 180) Leesburg, Georgia (Lee County)
• OL JonDarius Morgan (6-3, 325) Birmingham, Alabama (Huffman)
• DB Isaiah Norris (6-0 170) Anderson (TL Hanna HS / Georgia Military)
• WR Sam Reynolds (5-8, 180) Alabaster, Alabama (Thompson)
• DL TJ Sanders (6-4, 285) Marion (Marion)