For most of the recruiting season to this point, South Carolina defensive ends coach Deion Barnes has pursued defensive ends outside the state’s borders. Some of those include KJ Green, Chris Whitehead, Abraham Sesay, Rashad Streets, Anthony Sweeney, Frederick Ards, and Desmond Malpress. All are committed to other P4 programs.
He also pursued Jaiden Bryant of Irmo, who committed first to LSU and then to Miami.
Barnes has yet to land a defensive end commitment for the 2027 class, but perhaps another prospect in the Gamecocks’ backyard might end that drought.
Thursday, Dutch Fork DE Peyton Bishop (6-4 247), formerly of AC Flora, was at the practice fields with his 7X7 team. He couldn’t play because of turf toe. But his presence there allowed members of the Gamecock recruiting staff to chat him up, and for Barnes to also talk briefly with him.
“They wanted me to attend the camp tomorrow, but I told them I couldn’t because I’m out for two weeks,” Bishop said. “They said they really wanted to see me perform at the camp. But overall, it was great. Love seeing my team come out with the win. It was just a great experience having my first real Dutch Fork experience.”
Bishop said it’s his misfortune to be sidelined for tomorrow’s camp with the turf toe, because he’s confident he would have impressed Barnes and left with an offer.
“I honestly believe if I was at the camp tomorrow, they would have offered me, but since not, probably have to wait until the season where I can already show them my talent and get an offer,” Bishop said. “I don’t think none of the kids that are at the camp can guard me. The ’27 class is coming to an end soon, so they just want to make sure that it’s a committable offer instead of just a verbal offer.”
Bishop’s only official visit this month was to Virginia Tech. He doesn’t have an official visit scheduled for this weekend yet, but he is going back to USC on Friday to be with his teammates in camp, and he said there’s a slight chance a visit with USC could materialize.
“As I said, if I had done good at the camp tomorrow, there would have been an offer, an official, everything,” Bishop said. “They still want me to go over there to watch because my team’s going to be there, and I’m probably going to coach my guys up.”
An offer from South Carolina, Bishop added, would certainly turn his recruiting in another direction.
“It’ll mean a lot,” he said. “I’m a hometown kid. . I’ve always been right beside USC, seeing everything progressing and the kids coming out of there.”
With the situation with USC pending, Bishop said at the top of his list right now would be Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Kentucky.
Last season, Bishop was one of the top defensive ends in the state with 103 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks.