The long recruiting saga of Kendall Daniels, Jr. could be coming to a close soon. The 4-star safety prospect (and former high school teammate of current Gamecock Fred "JayR" Johnson) seemed set to announce a commitment to the South Carolina football program during the spring but held off on his decision.
After some more back and forth, Daniels recently revealed that he has three favorites. The South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson Tigers, and Virginia Tech Hokies are his finalists, and on Wednesday, Daniels revealed that he is ready to announce his college choice. According to a post he made on social media, the Norfolk, Virginia native will make his commitment public on August 2nd.
Daniels was once leaning heavily toward joining the 2025 South Carolina football recruiting class, but which team will land him in two weeks is not a foregone conclusion. Both Clemson and Virginia Tech have put themselves right into the thick of things. Clemson was not in his top-4 in the spring but have been part of his recruitment heavily since then.
Daniels' impending decision is part of a big week on the calendar for the Gamecocks' recruiting efforts. Lagonza Hayward, Giyahni Kontosis, Keenan Britt (class of 2026), Juan Gaston, Jared Smith, and Jaylen Gilchrist all will announce decisions between Saturday, July 27th and Saturday, August 3rd.
A big-time athlete, Daniels also has impressive size for the defensive backfield (listed between 6'3" and 6'4" and around 200 pounds). His long arms and solid instincts allow him to make plays on the ball that most other high school players can't make, and he has no qualms about stepping up in run support.
Daniels is a big hitter who has a knack for separating the ball from the intended receiver with well-timed hits and coordinated hands. He also uses his size and speed well against the run and underneath passing game.
You can watch some of his film here.