South Carolina Football: Major Gamecock target named All-American, will commit at All-American Bowl

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer and his staff have been involved with 4-star running back Daniel Hill for a long time.

Hill, a Meridan, Mississippi native was ranked as an athlete for most of his recruitment, but despite continuing to play other positions, he has seen his recruiting position shift to running back by some outlets as it seems like his natural position moving forward.

At 6’2″ and 230 pounds, Hill is a big, powerful back, but he still has above-average speed at the position as evidenced by his multiple state championships in track and field.

Hill was believed to be committing to the South Carolina football program back in August, but at the last minute, he pushed back his announcement. Since then, most have believed that Hill would end up in Tuscaloosa as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide (Hill’s father has made it very well-known how much he favors Alabama for his son’s college destination).

Technically, Daniell Hill’s top-3 are South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee, but the Volunteers do not seem to be in the running, realistically.

On Tuesday, 247’s Steve Wiltfong reported that Hill was a new All-American and will be announcing his decision during NBC’s coverage of the All-American Bowl.

Wiltfong, who also works as a selector for the All-American Bowl, said that Hill told him that he wants “to go to a place that feels like home…where I feel I can not only reach my full potential athletically and academically but as a person. I want to help change a program and be a key factor in a major turnaround and trajectory of a school.”

Some have taken that to mean the Gamecocks are the favorite to land Hill (South Carolina football is the only one of Hill’s three finalists that are in need of a “turnaround”). However, Alabama still feels like the choice for Hill based on his and his family’s public comments. He also has visited Tuscaloosa multiple times this fall and has not made it to Columbia.

With two months remaining before an official decision, there is still time for things to change in Hill’s recruitment.

South Carolina football already has one running back committed in the class of 2024 (Georgia 4-star Matthew Fuller), but they are expected to take two ‘backs in the class, and Hill has been at the top of their recruiting board for a long time.

You can watch some of his film here.