![South Carolina football fan. Mandatory Credit: [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/24d3cb56ad5b08c8a95a2f79fb99881beefa63580e98d0f92f59acd47da05c98.jpg "South Carolina football fan. Mandatory Credit: [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]")
South Carolina football has a huge recruiting weekend scheduled for this weekend, especially as it pertains to the class of 2025. Elite prospects in next year’s cycle will be in Columbia, including the nation’s top player Elijah Griffin (5-star DT from Savannah, Georgia), in-state stud Amare Adams (4-star DT from Florence, South Carolina), and elite pass rusher Bryce Davis (4-star EDGE from Greensboro, South Carolina).
Another major ’25 target in town this weekend is Jontae Gilbert. Gilbert is a 4-star defensive back from Atlanta, Georgia who is currently committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, Hale McGranahan of TheBigSpur.com (247Sports) reports that Gilbert’s trip to Columbia on Thursday is his third trip to see the South Carolina football staff since April.
On Thursday, a five-star Ohio State commitment visited South Carolina for the third time since April #Gamecocks (VIP) https://t.co/QjU7Hq3qWb pic.twitter.com/aaXt2pZsEg
— Hale McGranahan (@HaleMcGranahan) July 27, 2023
Gilbert, at 6’1″ and 180 pounds, is a consensus top-50 player in the country according to all four major recruiting services (On3, 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals). He committed to the Buckeyes after his freshman school year, so that commitment should be taken with a grain of salt. Gamecock defensive backs coach Torrian Gray is personally recruiting Gilbert extremely hard.
As a player, Gilbert plays wide receiver on offense for Frederick Douglass High School and corner and safety on defense. Some believe he will move full-time to safety in college as he lines up all over the secondary and excels in zone coverage. However, Gilbert is athletic enough and fluid enough with his hips to stick at corner, as well.
You can watch some of his film here.
Gilbert is not the only South Carolina football vs. Ohio State football recruiting battle happening presently. Former #1 prospect in the class of 2024 Dylan Stewart (5-star EDGE from Washington DC) is deciding between the Gamecocks and Buckeyes.
In the history of Gamecock football, Carolina is 2-0 against OSU, and South Carolina football fans are certainly rooting for their team to go 2-0 against the Buckeyes in the recruitments of Gilbert and Stewart.