South Carolina football: Stone Blanton down to three schools

South Carolina football made the cut for this 4-star LB.

South Carolina has been able to land a number of talented linebacking prospects since Shane Beamer arrived in Columbia last winter. In the 2021 recruiting class, the Gamecocks signed four players at the position through either the high school or transfer ranks. This year’s class consists of one more, Donovan Westmoreland, who the staff was able to flip from his commitment to Georgia earlier this offseason.

Now, they’re after another. Stone Blanton, a four-star linebacker out of the state of Mississippi, recently unveiled the top three finalists to land his services. South Carolina made the cut, alongside fellow SEC programs Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

The defender is viewed by 24/7 Sports as the nation’s 33rd-best linebacker, and a top 300 prospect. He’d immediately fill a void in the middle of the South Carolina defense, who lost its top tackler of the past two seasons to the NFL. Should Blanton choose the Gamecocks, a path to early playing time is very visible.

One thing that could help the Gamecocks land Blanton is his tie to baseball. The two-sport athlete may want to pursue both at the next level, and South Carolina offers one of the nation’s premiere landing spots in country. Of course, it will be tough to beat out the reigning national champions on the diamond in Starkville.

At the moment, it appears that Blanton is a lean to stay in state and play for the Bulldogs, but it’s a long way until signing day, and the Gamecocks could make a move to the front. South Carolina did get an official visit back in June, which was obviously enough to keep them near the top of his list.

South Carolina’s current recruiting class is ranked among the nation’s top 20 and is one of the top five groups in the SEC. Adding Blanton to the fold would only improve that standing.

Stay tuned to Garnet and Cocky for more recruiting updates.