South Carolina football: 7 unheralded recruits that will impact Gamecocks
By Jacob Elsey
Strachan led the nation in sacks last season as a member of the Georgia State Panthers’ roster. The edge rusher notched 10.5 sacks a season ago, and is now looking to test his abilities at the SEC level.
During the recruiting process, Strachan was a two-star prospect, though he did hold an offer from Vanderbilt. At 190 pounds exiting high school, he was actually considered to be a safety, but that role obviously changed once he gained some weight. The addition to his 6-foot-4 frame doesn’t appear to have slowed the end down too much, and he should immediately help the Gamecocks’ pass rush alongside Jordan Burch and JJ Enagbare.
Strachan is looking to showcase his talents at college football’s highest level. A successful senior season could lead to an NFL opportunity.
Williams is technically a transfer though he’s yet to play a down of college football. Originally a member Delaware’s roster, the linebacker chose to transfer following the announcement that the Blue Hens would be postponing the 2020 season.
A childhood friend of running back MarShawn Lloyd, the Gamecocks hopped on Williams quickly, and they’ll expect the freshman to have an impact in the defensive rotation early on.
Being from the small state of Delaware, Williams didn’t receive the buzz that many college recruits do, even though he won Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior. It’s one reason for MarShawn Lloyd’s transferring to play high school football in Maryland despite living out of state, where he’d eventually earn five-star status.
Williams has been on campus since January, and has received nothing but praise for his intelligence and work ethic. He’ll see the field often in a thin Gamecock linebacking corps.
Platel is looking to finish his career on a high note after spending three seasons at Assumption College. In those three years, the defender tallied 96 tackles, 30 pass breakups, and seven interceptions. The output was good enough to land an offer from Shane Beamer.
As a recruit, Platel was unranked in the class of 2017. He figures to be used in the South Carolina defensive back rotation, an area where the Gamecocks are extremely thin. The team lost its top five contributors from the secondary following the 2020 campaign, so the addition of Platel is huge.
It’s unclear whether he’ll play at corner or safety, but the Gamecocks are hoping the ball hawking defensive back can make a huge impact on the back end of the unit.
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