South Carolina's coaching staff has been making some major moves lately, and Shane Beamer is one step closer to landing another big-time talent in the trenches. On Saturday, class of 2026 offensive tackle J.B. Shabazz announced his final three schools, and the Gamecocks made the cut. South Carolina joins Tennessee and Ohio State in the final group for the 6-foot-6, 280-pound four-star prospect out of East Forsyth High School, Winston-Salem, NC. While Shabazz has not set a specific commitment date yet, the Gamecocks hosted him on an official visit the first weekend in June, and it clearly made an impact.
where’s home🏠?? pic.twitter.com/qnDxuHLJvr
— jbiselite (@JabianShabazz) July 6, 2025
“It was all nice. They were all great here,” Shabazz recently told Gamecock Central. “Got to go to Coach Beamer’s house, talk to the guys, to the coaches, some of the players. We had fun, good fun, shot some basketball, got some ice cream.”
South Carolina offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley and recruiting assistant Sam Serbay have been leading the charge in recruiting Shabazz. Cutting his commitment list down to three was no easy feat, as Shabazz had a loaded offer list including Penn State, NC State, North Carolina, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia, among others. Both Penn State and NC State also hosted him for OVs.
Shabazz is currently ranked No. 352 overall and is the No. 27 offensive tackle in the 2026 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He possesses plenty of upside with his size, agility, and has the personality to become a fan favorite at South Carolina.