Irmo WR Donovan Murph (6-3 180) escalated the pace of his recruiting October 1st when he announced a reclassification from 2026 to 2025. He was already a heavily offered prospect, and his decision to come out this year only heightened the recruiting intensity around him.
Murph is now coming down the home stretch with plans to sign on December 4th. Last weekend he made his official visit to USC. On November 22nd, he plans to be back at Clemson for an official visit with the Tigers. It’s possible Georgia could get him in for a game as well this month.
Right now, Murph is riding high on the Gamecocks coming off the buzz of an official visit week during which the Gamecocks upset the tenth ranked team in the country and thousands of fans stormed the field at Williams-Brice Stadium. It was quite the scene for Murph and the other recruits on hand.
“It was a great experience. I got to see a lot of things I hadn’t seen before and that I can’t see on game day visits,” Murph said. “It was an awesome experience. I got to interact with the fans. You know, they stormed the field, and I was on the field, too. I really got to feel how feel to win in a big environment like that. They showed me great me hospitality and showed me why I need to stay home.”
Murph, of course, had ample opportunity to talk with head coach Shane Beamer and receivers coach Mike Furrey while on the visit.
“I got to see Coach Beamer, Coach Furrey, I talked to all of them after the game,” Murph said. “Seeing that smile on their faces, I could see the passion and the happiness from getting that win. They tell me I’m a priority, especially in their receiver position. LaNorris (Sellers) is getting better every week. It’s just, come and be a part of something special. They always say when South Carolina was winning and completing for national championships, it was in-state guys. Keeping those in-state guys home is going to bring Carolina back.”
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and receivers coach Tyler Grisham, of course, have other ideas for Murph. He’s camped with the Tigers and was in for a game in September.
“I think they are very consistent, that’s one thing I get from them,” Murph said. “Coach Grisham, Coach Swinney, they are always showing me love. I talk to them almost every day. They are recruiting me hard as well. They are a great football team. They just lost to Louisville, but I’m sure they are going to be back, they are going to rally the guys next week. They are ranked in the Top 25, so they are trying to compete for playoffs, and I respect that. I’m definitely going to hear what that they’ve got to say, and I can’t wait to get back down there.”
The Tigers have two young star receivers in Bryant Westo and TJ Moore, starters pretty much from the moment they stepped on campus. Murph envisions the same kind of opportunity should he land with the Tigers.
“They are just telling me that I’ve got a chance to come play early with my reclassification,” Murph said. “Coach Grisham told me that I’m still a priority for him even in the ’25 class, and that there aren’t a lot of guys like me because I bring a different skill set. He said he definitely wants me to be a part of that class. I’ll definitely listen to what he has to say. He always talks about God, so that’s one thing I’m really about. That’s one thing that really stands out to me about him.”
Murph recently named a top 12 of USC, Clemson, Ole Miss, Colorado, Florida State, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State, Florida, Oregon, Maryland and Penn State. With ;his decision coming in less than a month, Murph won’t have the chance to visit too many other places. On top of that, he has some unfinished business.
“My team is 9-0 and we’re trying to compete for that state championship,” Murph said. “That’s really my priority right now, just getting that state title. It’s going to be hard to try to cram that, but I’m going to do the best I can.”
There will, however, come a time between now and December 4th when Murph and family will have to make the difficult decision as to which program best meets what he’s looking for.
“Just a place that can develop me, not only as a football player but as a young man,” Murph said. “Just a place that really sits with me as a family environment, a place my family loves. A place I can see myself in and a system I can see myself. Those are the things I really look at.”
Going into Friday night’s big showdown with Dutch Fork, Murph has 68 catches for 906 yards and six touchdowns.