South Carolina football: recapping a busy weekend on the recruiting trail

South Carolina football landed 4 commitments over the weekend.

Shane Beamer and the South Carolina coaching staff are fresh off of hosting a huge recruiting weekend where they landed official visits from 12 highly rated high school prospects. Of the 12 players, nine were considered by either Rivals or 24/7 Sports to be four-star performers or higher.

When all was said and done, the Gamecocks were able to add four new contributors to its ’22 recruiting cycle. Let’s break down the new class members, and see how they can make an impact on the program.

The commitments

Karon Prunty – transfer from Kansas that earned freshman All-America honors in ’20

Cason Henry – 3-star offensive lineman from Marietta, GA

Kylic Horton – 3-star wide receiver from Summerton, SC

Anthony Rose – 4-star safety from Miami, FL

The impact

Henry was the first domino to fall, pulling the trigger on his commitment Saturday. The big man fields an impressive offer list that includes Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pitt, Purdue, and Virginia Tech.

Standing 6-foot-6, and having a 300-pound frame, Henry looks to have SEC size. He projects to help the Gamecocks at offensive tackle and could jump into the lineup quickly, with South Carolina losing Dylan Wonnum and Jaz Turnetine after this season.

Transfer defensive back Karon Prunty was the next to pledge, and he could make an immediate impact in the South Carolina secondary. The corner spent one season at Kansas, earning freshman All-America honors for the Jayhawks, and was one of the more sought-after players in the transfer portal. He chose the Gamecocks over his other finalist, Tennessee.

Since Prunty is a transfer, he’ll be eligible for the ’21 season, giving the South Carolina defense a huge boost on the backend. The Gamecocks lost five players at the position from last year’s roster, but coach Beamer was able to add six defensive backs from either the transfer portal or JUCO ranks to fill the voids. Prunty figures to compete for a starting role alongside Cam Smith next season.

In-state wideout Kylic Horton was the next player in the boat. The 6-foot-3 pass catcher earned a South Carolina offer after posting a 4.4 40-time for the coaching staff at camp. The Gamecocks got in on the Summerton native early, with Horton’s only other Power Five coming from Virginia Tech.

Horton plays eight-man football about an hour outside of Columbia, and he impressed new wide receiver coach Justin Stepp. He becomes the first pass catcher in the class, and just the fourth player on the offensive side of the ball.

The final pledge of the weekend was actually a re-commitment. Defender Anthony Rose, who originally committed to the Gamecocks in February, withdrew that pledge late last month. After taking a moment to think things over, he felt that South Carolina was “home” following his latest visit.

Rose is one of the  highest rated players in the cycle, and the four-star safety should see some early playing time in the South Carolina secondary.

With the four additions, the Gamecocks’ 10-man recruiting class improves to No. 32 in the nation, just ahead of Oregon.