South Carolina Football Adds to Defensive Back Depth with Sandy
By Kevin Miller
The South Carolina football program has put together one of their top recruiting classes in recent years for the 2023 recruiting cycle. While the recruiting rankings are ever-changing, according to industry leaders on3 and 247Sports, Shane Beamer and company have found themselves firmly inside the top-20 since the Early Signing Period ended.
One of the players in this class is DB Zahbari Sandy, who signed with South Carolina during the Early Signing Period.
Position: DB
Recruiting Ranking: Consensus 3 Stars
Measurables: 6’1”; 205 pounds
Former Player Comp: Brison Williams
Big-bodied safety Zahbari Sandy is one of several DMV (DC, Maryland, and Northeast Virginia) prospects headed to South Carolina in this recruiting class. Sandy is considered one of the best prospects in talent-rich Washington DC, and Defensive Backs Coach Torrian Gray secured his commitment as one of the first in the 2023 class.
As a defensive back, he projects most likely to stick at safety, although he does have a frame that could play linebacker if he added weight. During his high school career, Sandy played both corner and safety and displayed strong ball skills that he paired with an impressive in-air body control that allowed him to knock away intended passes with minimal contact with the receiver.
Sandy’s broad-shouldered tackling is similar to ex-Gamecock defensive back Brison Williams. A dependable player, Williams might be best remembered for being the only player on the field who correctly dissected Clemson’s double pass in the 2013 rivalry game, intercepting the pass and crushing any momentum the Tigers put together during their first quarter drive. Like Williams, Sandy is a heady player and a hard worker who will likely contribute in the defensive backfield after some physical development.
With several secondary players in the 2023 class and two young starters returning at the safety position, Sandy will face steep competition for early playing time. However, with the South Carolina staff emphasizing versatility in the secondary, that could change at any time. If Sandy puts in the necessary work and is ready to play, Gray and Defensive Coordinator Clayton White will find a place for him to contribute on defense. Until that point, his size and athletic tackling profile will see him vie for a role on the coverage teams in the kicking game.
Once he enrolls this summer, expect Zahbari Sandy to work and compete with everything he has for the University of South Carolina.