The Gamecocks just got their quarterback of the future...again. Four-star signal caller Landon Duckworth, one of South Carolina's top targets overall in the 2026 class, announced his commitment to the Gamecocks on Friday evening. The Jackson, Alabama native chose South Carolina over Auburn, ending one of the most closely watched SEC recruiting battles of the offseason. Duckworth originally held offers from several powerhouse programs like Georgia, Oregon, Texas A&M, Florida, North Carolina, and Arkansas. He trimmed that list down to South Carolina and Auburn after making both official and unofficial visits to both schools.
Duckworth is the No. 66 overall player and the No. 6 quarterback in the country, per the On3 Industry Rankings. He was previously committed to the Gamecocks early in his recruitment, but decommitted last summer. However, the Gamecocks, now led by offensive coordinator Mike Shula, never stopped recruiting Duckworth. Shula made sure to make the young QB a priority since stepping into his role as OC, and now that persistence and patience has paid off for the Gamecocks.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound quarterback had an impressive junior season at Jackson High School, throwing for 3,109 yards and 34 touchdowns while adding 631 yards on the ground with 12 scores. His arm talent and competitive edge makes him a perfect fit for the tough competition within the SEC.
With Duckworth now back in the fold for South Carolina, the Gamecocks now have their future quarterback locked in, and this time, the staff and fans are hoping it sticks for good.