South Carolina football: Gamecocks in top group for quartet of 4-star recruits

South Carolina football is in the game with 4 talented prospects.

The South Carolina football program has been trending on the recruiting trail, landing commitments from a dozen players since the start of June. With the additions, the Gamecocks’ 2022 recruiting class has improved to No. 13 in the nation, according to Rivals, and now consists of 15 players.

Shane Beamer is trying to keep that momentum going as the Summer continues, and he seems to be putting the program in a great position with high profile prospects up and down the East Coast. In fact, just this week, a quartet of four-star recruits put the Gamecocks in their final groups, with many setting commitment dates for the upcoming weeks.

Let’s take a look at each of these players, and see what they could do for the South Carolina recruiting class.

Ramon Brown – RB 

Brown is the lone offensive player in the group, but he plays a position where the Gamecocks could need playmakers soon. The running back from Virginia seems to be down to South Carolina and Virginia Tech, though Penn State, West Virginia, and Maryland also made his final group.

While it may be tough to pull Brown from his hometown Hokies, coach Beamer has put the Gamecocks in a good spot. The four-star back is viewed as the nation’s 26th-best rusher, and he’d come to campus at a time where MarShawn Lloyd and Kevin Harris will be entering their third and fourth seasons. Early playing time could factor into his decision.

Chris Graves – DB

Graves recently announced his final four, which included the Gamecocks along with Florida, LSU, and Miami. Graves has been a lean to the Hurricanes, but defensive backs coach Torrian Gray made a huge impact on the corner during his official visit last month.

The defender is ranked by Rivals as the nation’s 36th-best cornerback, and the 47th-best player in the state of Florida. Graves recently announced that he’d be committing this Friday. He’s only taken officials to Miami and South Carolina, so if you’re following the visits, it seems like a good sign for the Gamecocks.

Keenan Nelson, Jr. – DB

Nelson is a four-star cornerback from Pennsylvania, who seems to be down to a decision between the Gamecocks and Penn State. Those are the only two programs that the defender has visited officially, and though he’s been a lean to the Nittany Lions, his trip to Columbia last month went very well.

This is another player that coach Torrian Gray is making an impact on, and the Gamecocks are in desperate need of help in the secondary. Nelson, a top 150 prospect, hasn’t set a commitment date, but following the visits, South Carolina has to feel good about where it stands.

Nick Cull – DB

Cull, yet another four-star defensive back, released a top six that included South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami, and Ole Miss. He’s been projected to pick the Hurricanes, but the Gamecocks are squarely in the mix.

Cull has taken visits to South Carolina and Miami, and he plans to announce his commitment on July 30th. A pledge to the Gamecocks would give coach Beamer another talented defender in the ’22 class.