South Carolina target SAF Jowell Combay of Marietta, GA committed to Tennessee on Wednesday. He also had Georgia, Wisconsin and Missouri on his short list. Next up on the commitment schedule for the Gamecocks are OT Jabian Shabazz and SAF Samari Matthews on Friday. The Gamecocks have ten commitments for their 2026 class.
LB Tyler Atkinson of Loganville, GA named a final four of Clemson, Oregon, Texas and Georgia. Those were his four official visits. He’s not announced a commitment date but is expected to make his pledge by the end of July. He has been projected to Georgia by the recruiting networks.
Clemson and South Carolina are among the top eight with 2027 OL Maxwell Hiller (6-5 300) of Coatesville, PA. The others are Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State.
2027 Woodruff RB Aiden Gibson was offered by Georgia Tech.
Clemson offered 2027 6-4 Justin Wise of Bogart, GA. Some of his other offers are Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia, Villanova, Cal, Cincinnati and Stetson.
On3 Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong is at it again, playing with the minds of South Carolina fans. Wiltfong, according to the On3 website, has a high percentage of being correct on his commitment projections. Keep in mind, however, that he will sometimes (often times?) change his original projection to a new one if he learns the first one is wrong. So, there’s a flaw in the system there. Still, football fans react to his projections regarding their favorite recruits.
Recently, Wiltfong correctly called DE Bryce Perry-Wright to Texas A&M over Clemson and DE Junior Walker to Michigan over USC. However, he was wrong on his prediction of DT PJ Dean to South Carolina as Dean committed to Georgia.
Now, he’s given Gamecock fans two more reasons to reach for the Pepto. Tuesday night Wiltfong issued a projection of OT Jabian Shabazz to Tennessee over USC and Ohio State when he announces on Friday. But no doubt more concerning to USC fans was his projection earlier in the day of standout SAF Tamarion Watkins of Northwestern to Texas A&M over the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks have basically owned the city of Rock Hill when it comes to football recruiting since the days of standout safety Rick Sanford in the seventies. To believe Watkins will travel half-way across the country to play college football in the SEC, when he can travel an hour down I-77 to do the same, will be a tough pill for Gamecock Nation to swallow, if indeed Wiltfong’s projection comes to fruition on Monday.
With Watkins perhaps leaving the state, let’s recap where the top recruits in South Carolina have committed thus far. Of the 25 reported commitments to D1 programs, only five are staying in-state. USC has four of those commitments, and Clemson one.
| APPALACHIAN STATE | SAWYER | ARNOLD | DE | 6-4 220 | OCEANSIDE |
| APPALCHIAN STATE | CHRIS | DOYLE | DT | 6-1 280 | BLUFFTON |
| APPALCHIAN STATE | CADEN | MUSKUS | OT | 6-5 280 | CHAPIN |
| ARKANSAS | JAYVON | GILMORE | QB | 6-6 195 | GAFFNEY |
| CHARLOTTE | KD | HAINSWORTH | WR | 6-0 160 | MOUNTAIN VIEW PREP |
| CLEMSON | KENTAVION | ANDERSON | SAF | 6-2 185 | DORMAN |
| DUKE | JAYDEN | BOYD | WR | 5-11 170 | FAIRFIELD CENTRAL |
| EAST CAROLINA | TREY | BURKE | QB | 6-3 205 | SPARTANBURG |
| EAST CAROLINA | ZYON | RATCHFORD | DE | 6-3 215 | GAFFNEY |
| EAST CAROLINA | KELTON | SMITH | DT | 6-5 330 | GAFFNEY |
| FLORIDA | DESMOND | GREEN | OT | 6-4 325 | TIMERBERLAND |
| LIBERTY | AMIRI | ACKER | WR | 6-2 186 | CRESCENT |
| MEMPHIS | JUDE | HALL | WR | 6-4 190 | CHRIST CHURCH |
| MICHIGAN | JULIAN | WALKER | DE | 6-6 265 | DUTCH FORK |
| MICHIGAN STATE | JEREMIAH | FAVORITE | CB | 6-0 170 | BOILING SPRINGS |
| NORTH CAROLINA | JAYLEN | MCGILL | RB | 5-10 200 | MOUNTAIN VIEW PREP |
| NORTH CAROLINA | ZAMAURIOUS | ROBERTSON | WR | 6-1 165 | DILLON |
| NORTH CAROLINA | CARNELL | WARREN | WR | 6-3 175 | BLUFFTON |
| SOUTH FLORIDA | JAEMIN | PINCKNEY | DE | 6-5 217 | WOODLAND |
| USC | ANTHONY | BAXTER | OT | 6-3 335 | SOUTH POINTE |
| USC | J’ZAVIEN | CURRENCE | SAF | 6-3 190 | SOUTH POINTE |
| USC | JAMEL | HOWSE | TE | 6-4 210 | NEWBERRY |
| USC | SEQUEL | PATTERSON | WR | 6-0 165 | INDIAN LAND |
| VANDERBILT | TILDEN | RILEY | TE | 6-5 205 | ORANGEBURG PREP |
| VIRGINIA TECH | WILL | LOVE | PK | 6-2 205 | SPARTANBURG |
| WAKE FOREST | SOMAD | EADDY | CB | 6-0 150 | RIVERSIDE |