Superlatives for South Carolina football 2022 recruiting class
By Jacob Elsey
The Biggest Recruiting Win for South Carolina Football
There are a number of players that could go here. Linebacker Donovan Westmoreland was once committed to Georgia before flipping to the Gamecocks. South Carolina pulled defensive back Keenan Nelson and offensive lineman Ryan Brubaker away from Penn State. Shane Beamer went head-to-head with Auburn to land safety Emory Floyd.
The biggest win on the recruiting trail was landing linebacker Stone Blanton, though. Blanton, a Mississippi native, was considered a lean to Mike Leach and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. About a week before signing day, though, things began trending in the direction of the Gamecocks.
Blanton made his commitment to the program on the Monday before Early Signing Day. South Carolina went into the Magnolia State to snag one of the area’s top prospects. Blanton is considered a four-star player by ESPN and a top 300 talent.
As a senior, the linebacker racked up 125 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. Blanton will play in the Under Armour All-American Game this January to cap off his high school career.
Making this more impressive is the fact that Blanton had been committed to the baseball Mississippi State program for nearly two years. The Bulldogs are fresh off of their first national title in the 2021 season. A star outfielder and pitcher, he’s considered one of the top prospects on the diamond, too. Blanton hit .321 with a pair of home runs in last year’s pandemic-shortened season.
Blanton plans to play both sports and his trust in coach Beamer’s handling of that situation drew him to Columbia. Beamer was at Oklahoma when Kyler Murray became a first-round pick in both baseball and football.
"“He’s coached Kyler Murray… He’s already done it before.”"
While he’s eager about his future on the diamond, Blanton figures to play middle linebacker on the gridiron. He’s been brought in to become the leader of the defensive unit. The Gamecocks are losing some depth at the position after this season wraps up. Blanton could find a path to early playing time with the Gamecocks.