South Carolina Football Recruiting: Gamecocks land best QB class in program history

The South Carolina football program has outdone itself on the recruiting trail. In just his first full recruiting cycle, head coach Shane Beamer has successfully landed the top quarterback group in team history.

There’s really no debate.

In just a single offseason, the coaching staff has completely flipped the position, which was an Achilles’ heel in the 2021 campaign. Last year, the Gamecocks were forced to turn to Zeb Noland in the opener, a graduate transfer that began the year on the coaching staff. Depth was an obvious issue after projected starter Luke Doty went down with a foot injury. It ultimately led to the team seeing three different signal callers under center throughout the season.

None of those options were outstanding, though transfer Jason Brown did lead the Gamecocks to SEC wins over Florida and Auburn. Brown, who saw the most success leading the offense, won’t be back in 2022 as he’s announced his intention to transfer for his final season of eligibility.

Luckily for the Gamecocks, help is on the way.

South Carolina got a huge win in the transfer portal early last week as former Oklahoma star Spencer Rattler chose to play in Columbia for the ’22 campaign. He entered last season as a Heisman trophy favorite and a potential No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. His year didn’t end as he expected but his talent is undeniable.

Rattler was the top passer in the 2019 recruiting class. He’s the first five-star signal caller to ever sign with the Gamecocks. The rising junior is the most likely option to take over quarterback duties in 2022, but South Carolina is also bringing in some quality depth.

From the high school ranks, Shane Beamer signed four-star talents Tanner Bailey and Braden Davis. Davis, the top player in the state of Delaware, has been in the boat for a long time as he was one of the first players to join Beamer’s inaugural class. He’s ranked by ESPN as the No. 179 player in the country.

Bailey took a longer route, originally committing to Oregon before flipping to sign with the Gamecocks over the weekend. Bailey another top 300 player according to ESPN (No. 139), picked up offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, and more.

How does ’22 class stack up to past South Carolina football cycles?

Coach Beamer and Co. have now brought in three of the most talented passers in this recruiting cycle. Together, they are South Carolina football’s best group (in terms of ratings) in the history of the program.

Previous hauls have included multiple four-star prospects. Most recently, Jake Bentley and Brandon McIlwain signed under the previous coaching staff. Both would transfer out of the program before finishing out their collegiate careers.

The 2003 class brought in Syvelle Newton and Blake Mitchell. Both were considered top 150 players and they made huge impacts throughout their Gamecock careers. Still, that class doesn’t hold the status of the current haul.

The most productive class to date was a 2010 cycle that included Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson. Shaw is the winningest quarterback in program history while Thompson holds the program record for passing yards in a season. While they were wildly successful on the field, neither was highly rated on the recruiting trail.

This group boasts three players with at least a four-star rating, including the program’s top quarterback signee in team history. There’s no doubt it’s the most talented class according to the recruiting rankings. Now, we just need to see what they can do on the field.

This group brings a ton of excitement for the future of South Carolina football. It should be a fun quarterback room to watch over the coming seasons in Columbia.