South Carolina football commitment Wendell Gregory could be changing positions…well, sort of. The 4-star linebacker from Marietta, Georgia had been rated as a 4-star linebacker for most of his recruitment, but recently, On3 has switched Gregory’s position to have him ranked alongside the EDGE rushers in the 2024 recruiting class.
Gregory is still considered a 4-star prospect, but his overall rankings did take a bit of a dip with the position change. At his highest point, Gregory was considered a top-40 prospect in the country according to On3, but he is now viewed as the 100th-best player in the class.
247Sports, Rivals, and ESPN all still have Gregory rated as a linebacker with Rivals and ESPN specifically notating that Gregory is an outside linebacker.
As an outside linebacker, Gregory could still be utilized as an EDGE player, especially in 3-4 defensive fronts. However, as South Carolina primarily runs 4-2-5 or 4-3 looks, that isn’t the type of role Gregory would often get to play for the Gamecocks.
However, in those 4-man fronts that defensive coordinator Clayton White likes to run, the Gamecock defense will sometimes utilize a stand-up EDGE rusher in place of a defensive end. Players like Bryan Thomas, Jr. and Donovan Westmoreland have played a lot in that role for Carolina during the 2023 offseason.
If Gregory gains weight, he could become more of a natural EDGE, but his versatility could be used as a weapon for South Carolina football.
Sterling Lucas coaches both the defensive ends and outside linebackers for Shane Beamer’s staff, so unless Gregory becomes a more traditional linebacker when he arrives in Columbia, he will be part of Coach Lucas’ group.
Projecting his exact future for South Carolina football isn’t made any easier by the fact that Gregory plays all over the defense for Walton High School. Primarily used as a stand-up end in 4-man fronts and as a traditional outside ‘backer, he also played snaps as a junior with his hand in the dirt at end and even out wide as a big corner when teams really spread the formation out.
You can watch some of his film here.