South Carolina football fans know better than most that Rock Hill, South Carolina is Football City, USA. With the highest per-capita output of NFL talent of any city in America, Rock Hill has produced some of the best players ever to play for the Gamecock program as legends like Jadeveon Clowney, Stephon Gilmore, Johnathan Joseph, DeVonte Holloman, and Rick Sanford hail from the Charlotte suburb.
Shane Beamer's program has been hot in the recruiting world of late, and on Saturday, they landed a commitment from another big-time player from Rock Hill as offensive lineman Anthony Baxter announced on his personal Twitter/X account that he has pledged his services to the South Carolina football program.
When I went to South Carolina my first time in 9th grade it felt like home. Every time I went back it added a new value to my heart. I prayed on this a lot of times and god told me im 100% commited @CoachSBeamer @CoachTeasley @southpointeFBSC @CoachRichAD @SamSerbay pic.twitter.com/quKuv0Df4L
— Anthony Baxter (@Abaxter2026) May 4, 2024
Baxter is a class of 2026 recruit who attends South Pointe High School, and according to the social media post, he's felt like Columbia was home since his first visit as a freshman. He is a 3-star prospect, but it is still early in the process, so anyone in the class of 2026 who has a recruiting ranking must be pretty good.
As a prospect, Baxter is an interior lineman who is as wide and strong as almost any player in the class. He is listed at 6'3.5" and 345 pounds, and he is more athletic than most people his size. If he can continue to work on that athleticism by adding to muscle while trimming his frame a bit, he has a chance to be a special blocker.
Baxter is an interior lineman who has gotten reps at both right guard and left guard in his high school career. He has shown some solid run blocking ability on film as he ends a defender's play if he gets his hands on him.
The big fella has a good anchor in pass protection with his size and strength, and as he works on his footwork, he could become a very difficult-to-beat blocker in the passing game.
On film, Baxter seems to like contact and seeks to deliver blows whenever he finds a defender in space as a puller or when working to the second level.
With a large number of interior offensive linemen leaving the program after this season due to graduation, adding players in both the 2025 and 2026 classes will be paramount, and Baxter's commitment is the first step in making sure the South Carolina football program is "fully stocked" up front.
You can watch some of his film here.