South Carolina Football: Gamecocks Officially Add Monteque Rhames
By Kevin Miller
The South Carolina Gamecocks have put together one of the 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 EDGE Monteque Rhames, who signed with South Carolina during the Early Signing Period.
Position: EDGE
Recruiting Ranking: 4 Stars (ESPN, 247, Rivals); 3 Stars (on3)
Measurables: 6’5”; 235 pounds; 425 pounds squat (as a junior); 285 pounds power clean; 355 pounds bench press
Former Player Comp: Darius English
From beginning his high school career at Sumter High School to now being enrolled at the University of South Carolina, Monteque Rhames was destined to be a Gamecock. Rhames is a plus athlete at a position that places a premium on athleticism. In South Carolina’s 4-2-5 base defense, Defensive Coordinator Clayton White and Outside Linebackers/Defensive Ends Coach Sterling Lucas will likely utilize Rhames as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end.
Rhames is not a polished, finished product at defensive end. However, that could add some optimism about Rhames amongst the fanbase. Rhames was very effective as a high school EDGE player, despite not possessing more perfected technical skills. His athleticism allowed him to simply run around blockers on many plays, and his “see ball, get ball” mentality was evident as his white helmet was always turning, searching for the ball carrier, even while engaged with offensive linemen.
Similar in profile to Rhames was former Gamecock pass rusher Darius English. Like Monteque, Darius came to South Carolina in need of technique refinement and a weight room. He found both and went to become an all-SEC performer as a senior, adding a variety of pass rush moves and functional strength to his considerable athletic gifts. Rhames has a slightly stronger base than English did as a recruit (425 pounds squat and 355 pounds bench press), but his career trajectory could be similar: he will likely develop for a year or two, then compete for a year or two, and then finally show the college football world that he is the real deal.
Head Coach Shane Beamer mentioned in his Early Signing Day press conference that he believed Rhames will provide depth “immediately,” and he one day will become a player all Gamecocks can be “really excited about.”