South Carolina Football: Gamecock quarterback commitment foreshadows more recruiting wins

South Carolina football welcomed an impressive group of visitors to Columbia, South Carolina this weekend. Most of the visitors were already committed to the Gamecocks or were underclassmen on unofficial visits. However, three of the top uncommitted prospects in the class of 2024 (and another intriguing defensive player) were at the center of it all in the Long Family Football Operations Center.

Dylan Stewart (5-star EDGE), Daniel Hill (4-star running back), and Johnathan Paylor (4-star WR) headlined the group, and new-to-the-recruiting-scene 3-star safety/linebacker David Ducey has become a target recently. All four 2024 prospects were being recruited by the South Carolina football staff this weekend, but eight committed players in the class were also on campus to turn up the recruiting efforts, as well.

Spearheading the charge in prospect-led recruiting efforts was, as always, quarterback commitment Dante Reno. Reno, a 4-star player from New England, is the longest-tenured pledge in the 2024 cycle and has been the most vocal player in the class in recruiting other players. His efforts led to players like Mazeo Bennett, Kam Pringle, and Josiah Thompson joining the cause of enticing as much talent as possible to play with them for the Gamecocks.

As of late Saturday night, coach Shane Beamer announced a #WelcomeHome on Twitter, indicating that a new commitment had been made to the South Carolina football program. However, in Beamer’s tweet, there was also a clear message that the pledge came from a player on campus this weekend.

https://twitter.com/CoachSBeamer/status/1672784453897256961?s=20

Even later into the night, Reno joined in the Twitter fun by proclaiming, “It’s happening…just wait!” with the #24evertothee that has been the mark of the next class of South Carolina football. Coach Beamer cosigned the social media tease with a retweet from his account.

The Saturday night #WelcomeHome makes at least two non-public pledges for the Gamecocks that should be announced in the not-too-distant future.

Reno has been particularly outspoken recently in his efforts to woo the three blue chippers on campus this weekend. With one #WelcomeHome already in the boat, Reno seems to be implying at least one more will be coming from this weekend’s visitor list.

Stewart is the top player in the entire class according to On3. The uber-athletic 5-star EDGE player just released a top-5 that included South Carolina football, and the Gamecocks have been at or near the top of his recruitment for a long time.

Hill is a consensus 4-star player. He has played all over his high school offense, including quarterback, wide receiver, and running back, but he is being recruited primarily as a running back. Hill is believed to be deciding between Alabama and South Carolina, and the race is close.

Paylor is another consensus 4-star who is reminiscent of former Gamecock great Deebo Samuel. Short but thick-bodied, Paylor would become one of the fastest players in the class if he commits to the Gamecocks. His nickname is “The Missile,” which is top-tier football nicknaming.

Bucey is a recent arrival to the Division-1 recruiting scene. A 3-star prospect who plays linebacker for his high school, he will likely be a safety in college. It seems likely that Bucey is one of the two mystery #WelcomeHome commitments that have yet to announce publicly. He is a high school teammate of Gamecock target and the country’s top player in the class of 2025, Elijah Griffin.