The South Carolina Gamecocks have a new member to its 2026 recruiting class. On Sunday, Despite big-time pushes from the likes of Miami, Texas, North Carolina and Tennessee, Shane Beamer and his staff landed 6-foot-7 offensive tackle Neff Giwa.
NEWS: Class of 2026 OT Neff Giwa has Committed to South Carolina, source told @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 29, 2026
The 6’8 300 OT from Ireland chose the Gamecocks over Miami, Texas, North Carolina, and Tennessee
He’s a rugby-player-turned OT with 37-inch arms and runs a 4.88 40https://t.co/47LvHMIrdJ pic.twitter.com/fd0mMWQ1N1
South Carolina was one of the first schools to offer the offensive tackle. Giwa has made headlines in recent weeks—becoming a target for the likes of North Carolina Miami, SMU, Tennessee and others.
The rugby player from the Republic of Ireland has not played a down of football, but the offers came rolling in shortly after his coach, Brandon Collins, posted this video:
This 6’8 300lb OT @NeffGiwa came from rugby.. he will be a 1st round pick one day! Remember this tweet!!!
— Brandon Collier (@BCollierPPI) March 17, 2026
He’s big, athletic, tough, and work hard to be great!! I would take him at any college in America!!! Special talent , work ethic and character pic.twitter.com/qYfGyJOE0B
The person posting that video is Brandon Collier, who runs Germany-based Premier Prospects International (PPI). Collier played defensive tackle at UMass, and now runs the program that has helped put, per Feldman's reporting, 100 international athletes on college football rosters.
Giwa plays rugby in Ireland, but despite having never played a down of college football, became a target of multiple teams as he started visiting multiple schools this past week. South Carolina reportedly wanted Giwa to not visit Miami last week so the Gamecocks could secure his commitment, but he visited anyway.
“He’s so tall, but he actually had good leverage,” Collier told Bruce Feldman of The Athletic last week. “He’s also got this toughness about him. He’s like a fighter. He’s got something inside him that I haven’t seen from many kids. Some of the linemen, they’re very athletic, but they played sports that were softer. He played rugby. He was physical as heck.”
It's early in Giwa's journey, but he coudl potentially follow in the footsteps of Phladelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata. The seventh-round draft pick by the Eagles was discovered by general manager Howie Roseman for his rugby skills, and he became a starter ahead of the 2024 season, and won a Super Bowl with Philadelphia two years ago.
Per 247Sports, South Carolina's 2026 class now ranks 15th nationally, and sits eighth in the SEC.
Congrats to Beamer and company on the huge get!