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 ATH Judge Collier, who signed with South Carolina during the Early Signing Period.
Position: ATH (DB/WR/QB/RB)
Recruiting Ranking: Consensus 3 Stars
Measurables: 6’1”; 185 pounds; 4.5 second 40-yard dash; 375 pounds squat
Former Player Comp: Syvelle Newton
A do-it-all athlete in high school, Rock Hill native Judge Collier will likely be a defensive back at the collegiate level. However, his penchant for big plays could lead to some snaps on offense, and he will certainly spend a lot of time with Special Teams Coordinator Pete Lembo on return and coverage teams.
Watching Collier’s film brings back memories of former Gamecock Syvelle Newton, who is one of four players in college football history to ever record over 600 yards as a passer, receiver, and rusher. Newton, though, also spent time as a safety, where he had an uncanny knack for big hits and using his long arms to envelope ball carriers in the open field. Collier exhibits a similar aggressive nature as a tackler, coming downfield quickly from the defensive backfield to shut down run plays before they really get started.
Collier’s frame appears to be able to carry more weight than his current 185 pounds, so expect his future to be at safety as Strength and Conditioning Coach Luke Day helps him to add weight. He has shown the ability to play man coverage in some matchups, but he plays well in the “centerfield” role as a deep safety who has the freedom to use his athleticism to help make plays across the field.
Collier was not a heavily-recruited player, but he received an early offer from Head Coach Shane Beamer and Defensive Backs Coach Torrian Gray and has remained a “take” in the class throughout the recruiting process. The Gamecock staff clearly have a plan for Collier, but his early contributions to the cause will likely be as a special teams aficionado who showed solid ability as both a gunner and return man in his high school career.
Whether it is as a rotational defensive player, as an offensive gadget, or as a special teams contributor, expect Judge Collier to be an important part of the Gamecock football program moving forward.