South Carolina was announced as the choice Friday afternoon of RB Amari Thomas (6-0 195) of Blountstown, FL. The one-time Florida State commitment chose the Gamecocks this time around over the Seminoles, Georgia Tech and Colorado.
However, nothing will be absolute with Thomas until he signs in December. He said earlier this week that despite making another public commitment, he won’t be shutting down his recruiting, and he plans to take game day visits to other schools this season.
“I’m not going to count nobody out,” Thomas said. “I mean, you still got December, so probably going to take some visits in September.”
Thomas said he has several game visits in mind for this season, but has not set those up. Some of the other schools to recruit him include Clemson, NC State, Florida, Kansas State, Mississippi State, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville and Virginia Tech.
The Gamecocks, however, have him on their list at this point, and they need a difference-maker in their running back room. Is Thomas that? Indications are that he can be. At least, he things he’s all that.
“What I will bring to the backfield is to be unstoppable,” Thomas said this week. “A player with a good mindset. That school is getting a good player, not just any good player. I wouldn’t be too cocky, but I call myself the best, just because of my confidence. They are definitely getting a good one, a great one.”
Over the last two seasons, Thomas has rushed for 3245 yards and 56 touchdowns.
Even when he committed to Florida State in January, Thomas never stopped hearing from USC with head coach Shane Beamer, running backs coach Marquel Blackwell and offensive coordinator Mike Shula in regular contact.
“They tell me I’m an SEC back. That’s what they feel like,” Thomas said this summer. “They are confident in me. It’s not really nothing to it. They just tell me I’m an SEC back and I belong in South Carolina.”
Thomas is the first running back commitment for the Gamecocks in their 2026 class. If he signs with them in December, he’ll be the first high school running back signed by the Gamecocks since Matthew Fuller in 2024. He’s also their first commitment from the state of Florida for the class, which now totals 15.
2026 USC Commitments:
- KJ Johnson CB 6-2 175 Birmingham
- Kosci Barnes CB 6-2 185 Greensboro, NC
- Andrew Harris DE 6-2 225 Weddington, NC
- Aiden Harris DT 6-3 250 Weddington, NC
- Noah Clark DT 6-3 290 Durham, NC
- Keenan Britt LB 6-2 230 Oxford, AL
- Anthony Baxter OT 6-3 335 South Pointe
- Zyon Guiles OT 6-5 290 Carvers Bay
- Kamari Blair OT 6-6 280 Clarksville, TN
- Landon Duckworth QB 6-3 190 Jackson, AL
- Amari Thomas RB 6-0 195 Blountstown, FL
- J’Zavien Currence SAF 6-3 190 South Pointe
- Triston Lewis SAF 6-4 205 Greenwood
- Jamel Howse TE 6-4 210 Newberry
- Sequel Patterson WR 6-0 165 Indian Land