South Carolina Football: A look at every 5-star recruit in program history; Two are in this year's class!

South Carolina Football's All-Time 5-Star Recruits:
Running Back Marcus Lattimore (Class of 2010)

Before Jadeveon Clowney picked the Gamecocks, another 5-star elected to stay home and play for his home state team.

Byrnes running back Marcus Lattimore picked the Gamecocks over Auburn (and a slew of other offers), and the rest is history. Considered by some publications as an All-American as a freshman (not just a Freshman All-American but an All-American, All-American), Lattimore was a monster from the time he stepped on the field for the garnet and black.

Lattimore is the most patient running back in Gamecock history, and his combination of vision, strength, and wiggle made him a nightmare to bring down in the open field. He wasn't a speed demon, but he was fast enough that no one was catching him from behind. He wasn't running over too many tacklers, but one guy almost never brought him down alone.

Both Lattimore's sophomore and junior seasons were ended by awful knee injuries, and his second season-ender ultimately halted his football career altogether.

Even with the injuries, Marcus Lattimore is the 2nd-best running back to ever don the Block C on his helmet. How ESPN decided to rate him as a 4-star prospect (everyone else rightfully had him as a 5-star) is anyone's guess.