South Carolina Football: Gamecocks put in top-8 for 4-star EDGE/TE

South Carolina football has a massive couple of months upcoming on the recruiting trail. After a fast start in the 2024 recruiting cycle, things have slowed down recently for the Gamecocks, and fans are getting antsy.

On Monday, a glimmer of positive news (albeit expected news) came across the recruiting news wire.

KingJoseph Edwards, a 4-star athlete from Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia, officially released a top-8 on Monday. South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas made Edwards’ list.

About a week ago, the EDGE/tight end prospect teased South Carolina football fans with an inside look into his recruitment by telling a fan on Twitter that Carolina was recruiting him harder than just about any other program. “10/10” was used to describe the Gamecocks’ pursuit of Edwards, and he even went as far as to tell the fan that USC was in his “top-3” right now.

With that in mind, the inclusion in Edwards’ top-8 comes as no surprise to Gamecock fans who follow recruiting. However, with the abundance of near misses that have befallen South Carolina football’s recruiting efforts in recent weeks, any positive news is a welcome sign.

As a player, Edwards has been a bit polarizing as a prospect because he is an athletic project. He should not be counted on to come in and be a dominant force immediately at the college level, but his athletic profile is very good and has landed him on an All-American squad for the class of ’24. If he can put it all together, KingJoseph Edwards could be an extremely impactful player in college.

Most of Edwards’ recruitment has centered around his efforts as a defensive end, but he is a gifted tight end at the high school level who can use his 6’4″, 225-pound frame to become a matchup nightmare as a pass catcher. Following his career trajectory should be interesting, no matter where he ends up playing at the next level.

You can watch some of his film here.