New USC football coach Shane Beamer is far from completing his first recruiting class with the Gamecocks. He announced eight signings Wednesday. It looks good for the Gamecocks to land cornerback Isaiah Norris on Christmas Day for a ninth. And defensive end TJ Sanders still plans to sign in February for a 10th. Add in the four current Gamecocks who are counted in the 2021 class and that’s 14. That leaves Beamer 11 spots to fill between now and February.
One of those spots could go to SAF Juwon Gaston (5-11 187) of Montgomery, AL. He was offered by the Gamecocks recently and considers them the favorite at this point over Tennessee and Charlotte.
“I was surprised about the offer from South Carolina,” Gaston said. “They’ve been recruiting me since my senior season. Coach Drew (Hughes) has been talking to me. Coach Beamer made the offer. I talked to him, too. Coach Beamer said he really liked me. He needed a player l like me in the lockerroom, an enforcer. And he likes the way I return punts and kickoffs.”
Gaston said he wasn’t ready to sign this week because he’s just now getting this major offers and he needs more time to develop relationships.
“I’m just trying to get closer to the coaches,” Gaston said. “Make sure everything is right and it feels like home. I feel really good about South Carolina. They’ve been showing a lot of love. I like them. They are standing out the most because they communicate with me the most.”
Gaston said it’s possible he could make a decision and a commitment before February.
Gaston was one of the top safeties in Alabama this season with 98 tackles and 5 interceptions. He was chosen to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and according to one report has been one of the top performers in practice.
