South Carolina Football: In-state prospect decommits from Georgia Tech

For those who follow recruiting, the senior year of a prospect’s high school career is sometimes referred to as “Flip Season” (#flipszn). As the two Signing Days approach, some recruits get cold feet and back off of their commitments. As recruitments don’t go their way, some schools extend late offers, as well. For South Carolina football, one flip has already happened this fall, and there is hope for more.

Marcus Downs, a 3-star defensive tackle from Riverside High School in Greer, had been committed to Georgia Tech since August 5th (coincidentally, that is the same date that Jalewis Solomon committed to Auburn; Solomon has since flipped his pledge to the Gamecocks).

Up to this point, South Carolina football has not made a public offer to Downs, but the big man has been on campus numerous times for visits and camps, and the Gamecocks need to add at least one defensive tackle to their 2024 recruiting class. The only other tackle who has been on the radar publicly for the Gamecocks is Charlotte native D’Nas White.

Downs is a consensus top-10 South Carolina prospect and is the top defensive tackle in the ’24 cycle in-state.

For Riverside, Downs plays both tackle and end, but his future in college is at tackle. He is able to play end some at the high school level because he has above-average athleticism for the position, something that appeals to Gamecock defensive line coach Travian Robertson.

In addition to Downs, South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer and his staff are kicking the tires on flipping in-state talents like Braylon Staley (4-star wide receiver, Tennessee commit) and Quaysheed Scott (3-star defensive back, Kentucky commit). They are also in the game with elite Georgia prospect Kameryn Fountain (4-star EDGE, Southern Cal commit).

Downs will play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas after the high school season.

You can watch some of his film here.