If you believe what the national recruiting analysts are projecting, this is not going to be a good Friday in recruiting for Shane Beamer and South Carolina. Two of the Gamecocks top prospects are scheduled to announce their commitments, and both are projected to go somewhere other than South Carolina.
First up at 6:00 PM will be OT Jabian Shabazz of Kernersville, NC. Shabazz is down to USC, Tennessee and Ohio State with the Vols projected by a wide margin to land him.
Next up at 7:30 PM will be CB Samari Matthews of Cornelius, NC. Matthews has been a long-time target of the Gamecocks and secondary coach Torrian Gray. He has made at least seven visits to USC over the last two years. For most of the way, South Carolina looked like the team to beat. But here at the finish line, the predictions are pointing at Texas.
Matthews visited Texas in April, and he was also back in Austin for an official visit in June. Working in favor of the Longhorns is new cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey who had recruited Matthews while at Rutgers and thus had developed a prior relationship with him before offering him in late February.
Schedule of upcoming announcements (target of)
| 7/11/2025 | JABIAN | SHABAZZ (USC) | OT |
| 7/11/2025 | SAMARI | MATTHEWS (USC) | CB |
| 7/12/2025 | TRE | AIKEN (USC) | OG |
| 7/13/2025 | BLAKE | STEWART (Clemson) | SAF |
| 7/14/2025 | TAMARION | WATKINS (USC) | SAF |
| 7/18/2025 | LANDON | DUCKWORTH (USC) | QB |
| 7/18/2025 | TYLAN | WILSON (Clemson) | SAF |
| 7/20/2025 | KOSCI | BARNES (USC) | CB |