South Carolina Football: Mazeo Bennett Decision and a Way-Too-Early Look at the 2024 Recruiting Class
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football has had a good week. On Wednesday’s traditional Signing Day, Nyck Harbor, the nation’s number one-ranked athlete in the 2023 recruiting class, signed with the Gamecocks. The class finished as the 16th best class in the country, and the positive perception of Head Coach Shane Beamer and his program is increasing at a rapid pace.
The 2024 recruiting class is on pace to be even better than 2023 for South Carolina football. On Friday, in-state 4-star prospect Mazeo “MJ” Bennett made his public pledge to Wide Receivers Coach Justin Stepp and the Gamecocks, joining four other current four-star recruits who have done the same in recent months.
Bennett is a shifty 6’0″ receiver who has the quickness to play inside as a slot receiver and the ball skills and athleticism to play on the outside, as well. He is a fierce competitor on 50-50 balls and has good hands that snatch the ball out of the air without breaking his stride. A consensus 4-star player according to the four major recruiting services, Bennett is a player who is willing to hold blocks on the outside, something that will be imperative in new Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains’ scheme.
Joining Bennett in the 2024 class on offense are quarterback Dante Reno (4-star prospect from Windsor, Connecticut), pass catcher Michael Smith (4-star Savannah, Georgia TE/WR), and big Kam Pringle (4-star and ESPN’s number one overall ranked offensive tackle from Woodland High School in South Carolina). On defense, the Gamecocks have secured a commitment from elite linebacker prospect Wendell Gregory (4-star and top-40 overall player from Marietta, Georgia according to on3).
For those counting at home, South Carolina football is 5/5 on the way to a positive blue chip ratio in the 2024 cycle, and Beamer’s good fortune looks to continue as the Gamecocks are trending positively for several more big-time 2024 athletes. The future is bright for the gridiron Gamecocks, and the rest of the country should take notice.