Four-star defensive tackle to announce decision June 30, Gamecocks in final three

Four-star defensive lineman, PJ Dean, is almost ready to make his decision on what college program to commit to, and South Carolina is right in the thick of it. Dean attends West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, NC, and plans on making his commitment announcement on June 30 at 3: 30 p.m., choosing between South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio State, after taking official visits to each earlier this month. And while some schools were slow to see Dean's defensive upside, the Gamecocks didn't waste any time seeing his potential on the line.

Dean is ranked as the No. 45 overall player and the No. 4 defensive tackle in the 2025 class by On3. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound target was originally recruited as an offensive lineman by Coach Lonnie Teasley and Sam Serbay, but Dean made the switch to the defense this spring. And Travian Robertson didn't waste any time making it known that South Carolina sees his potential in the trenches.

When Dean expressed his thoughts about switching to defense, head coach Shane Beamer made it clear to the young recruit that no matter what side of the ball he wanted to play, he was a priority for the Gamecocks.

After his official visit to Columbia, Dean expressed how the coaching staff created genuine relationships with him, making it easy to feel like Columbia was home. “Coach Beamer, Coach T-Rob, even back when I was being recruited for the offensive line—those relationships were always genuine,” Dean said after his official visit to Columbia. “It’s a real home feeling. Real different from anybody else right now.”