South Carolina football: Peyton Williams commits to Gamecocks

South Carolina football adds another ’22 DB.

The Gamecocks landed a commitment over the weekend from defensive lineman Jamaal Whyce, who opted to make his college pledge on Father’s Day, choosing South Carolina over offers from Alabama, Florida, and Miami. On Monday, the coaching staff nabbed another defensive commitment, this time in the form of Petyon Williams, a three-star safety from the state of Texas.

Williams becomes the seventh player in South Carolina’s ’22 recruiting cycle, and the fifth defender in the class. Shane Beamer and the coaching staff have put an obvious emphasis on the defensive side of the ball, focusing in large part on a secondary that’s extremely thin at the moment.

South Carolina had five defensive backs leave the program after last season either through the NFL Draft or the transfer portal. Bringing in a robust and talented haul at the position is imperative with the Gamecocks needing to restock a cupboard that was left fairly bare following the last staff’s regime.

Williams’ offer sheet includes programs like Colorado, Florida State, Maryland, and Michigan State. He spurned those options, however, committing to the Gamecocks after his  unofficial visit to Columbia last week. He’s school’s the first pledge out of the Lonestar State since Shilo Sanders back in 2019.

With the addition, South Carolina’s ’22 class ranks 34th in the nation, just behind Vanderbilt, and a spot in front of Illinois. As far as SEC ratings go, the Gamecocks now sit at 11th in conference, ahead of Tennessee, Auburn, and Ole Miss. Shane Beamer and the Gamecock coaching staff will hope to see more dominos fall following what’s been a busy, busy June on campus.