South Carolina Football – Impact Freshmen
By Jacob Elsey
DEF: Jordan Burch, Cam Smith
Burch didn’t have to travel far to get to the South Carolina campus. The five-star prospect from Columbia attended Hammond High, playing for Head Coach and former Gamecock quarterback Erik Kimrey. Kimrey wasn’t Burch’s only Carolina connection. He was high school teammates with Will Muschamp’s son, Jackson, as well as fellow Gamecock signee Alex Huntley.
Burch’s recruitment was a bit of a roller coaster, but he ultimately chose the Gamecocks over LSU, Clemson, and Georgia. He was the top-rated prospect in the state of South Carolina, and ranked 17th nationally according to Rivals. The Under Armour All-American helped lead Hammond to a 12-2 record and 3A State Championship as a senior.
It looks like Burch will start out at the BUCK position in Will Muschamp’s defense, which is kind of a hybrid linebacker/defensive end role. He’ll join a couple of players that are already on campus, but both of whom missed most of the 2019 season. Junior Brad Johnson returns after a redshirt year, where he was forced to miss eight games with an injury. He has 30 tackles and 3.5 sacks over his career. Freshman Rodricus Fitten also took a redshirt year after spending his first season behind DJ Wonnum on the depth chart. Burch will have his opportunity to earn playing time when he arrives to campus this Summer.
Smith joined the Gamecocks in the 2019 class, but took a redshirt year after seeing action in three games his first season. He tallied seven tackles in contests vs. Vanderbilt, Charleston Southern, and Appalachian State.
Before coming to South Carolina, Smith was rated as the 191st best prospect in the nation after totaling 65 tackles and 16 pass breakups as a senior for Westwood High School in Blythewood. The Gamecocks do return cornerbacks Israel Mukuamu and Jaycee Horn, but there could be chance for Smith to earn some playing time in the nickel position. Coaches have also toyed with the idea of moving the taller Mukuamu to safety, which could also free up an opportunity for Smith to see the field.