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 Cameron Upshaw, who signed with South Carolina football during the Early Signing Period.
Position: DB
Recruiting Ranking: Consensus 3 Stars
Measurables: 6’3”; 180 pounds; 78-inch wingspan; 4.72 second 40-yard dash
Former Player Comp: Israel Mukuamu
Cameron Upshaw is an intriguing defensive back prospect from Florida. None of his physical testing numbers are eye-popping, but his smooth movements on the field indicate he has significant room for athletic growth after Strength Coach Luke Day gets ahold of him. He played all over the field in high school (including quarterback) but is expected to play defensive back for the Gamecocks. South Carolina has successfully transitioned several prep quarterbacks to full-time defensive backs, current starter DQ Smith being the most recent.
An interesting prospect, Cameron Upshaw brings tremendous upside to the defensive backfield for Carolina. At 6’3” and 180 pounds, Upshaw boasts a long frame reminiscent of former Carolina secondary member Israel Mukuamu. Mukuamu primarily played corner while in Columbia but also spent some time at his more natural position of safety (which is also his current position for the Dallas Cowboys). On tape, Upshaw demonstrates a similar ranginess to Mukuamu that could serve him well as an SEC safety.
The Gamecocks have two rising sophomore starters at safety (both Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith earned all-SEC freshman team honors last season), so Upshaw will be given adequate time to develop his body and his abilities before being asked to contribute heavily. His extensive special teams experience in high school might intrigue Special Teams Coordinator Pete Lembo, who is constantly looking for ways to utilize the third phase of football to give the Gamecocks an advantage.
All-in-all, with a willingness to work and the dedication required of big-time SEC athletes, Cam Upshaw has the potential to become an impact player during his career.