South Carolina Football: Priority in-state target is ready to commit

2024 recruiting has gone well for the South Carolina football program. Blue chip names like Mazeo Bennett, Kam Pringle, Dante Reno, Wendell Gregory, and Michael Smith have already committed to the Gamecocks, and several more big-time targets really like the Gamecocks.

The #1 player in the country for 2024 according to on3 is Dylan Stewart. Stewart is heavily considering South Carolina, and Shane Beamer and his staff are heavily involved with other top prospects, as well.

In the state of South Carolina, a priority target is offensive tackle Josiah Thompson. Thompson and Gamecock-commit Kam Pringle are considered the top-2 players in the state, and some recruiting rankings have both of them listed in the top-2 nationally for all offensive tackles. Thompson has long been considered a heavy lean to join the Gamecocks, and he announced via his Twitter account that he is ready to reveal his decision.

Thompson’s tweet comes immediately following another unofficial visit to the South Carolina campus. If the “Big Cat” were to join the fold and nothing else changed, the Gamecocks’ 2024 recruiting class would move up to the top-5 in the country behind only Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, and Florida State according to 247Sports‘ team recruiting rankings. On3’s rankings would see the Gamecocks move to 5th or 6th, behind Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and (probably) Florida State.

Fellow in-state offensively lineman Blake Franks (and high school teammate of Mazeo Bennett) is heavily considering making Columbia his home, as well. While Pringle and Thompson are obvious tackles, Franks could project as an interior offensive lineman at the next level. Based on their social media postings, Pringle, Thompson, and Franks are a close-knit group, and the offensive line is the most important “chemistry” group on the field. If the Gamecocks can reel in the three (literal) biggest fish in-state for the 2024 cycle, fans will have lots to look forward to in the future.