Report: South Carolina in the mix for more blue-chip prospects in 2023 cycle

South Carolina is off to a strong start on the recruiting trail. The Gamecocks’ 2023 recruiting class is ranked No. 20 in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings and No. 7 in the SEC.

According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, there is a good chance South Carolina’s group could improve even more in the coming weeks. He believes that the Gamecocks are in position to potentially land multiple top-200 prospects including Washington (D.C.) Archbishop Carroll five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor, Camden (S.C.) four-star defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod, Macon (Ga.) Tattnall Square Academy four-star defensive lineman Zavion Hardy and Upper Marlboro (Md.) Charles Herbert Flowers four-star EDGE Desmond Umeozulu.

“Great recruiting, hit the portal, mesh it together, see what it happens, but Shane Beamer and company have definitely created a spark around Columbia and guys like Nyckoles Harbor are paying attention,” Wiltfong said.

The Gamecocks will learn whether they land McLeod shortly. The nation’s No 189 overall prospect is announcing his commitment tonight and choosing between Florida, Georgia, Michigan and South Carolina.

“…We’re coming up to the finish line here and I think that the home pull, the opportunity to play for a program that he thinks on the rise, for a coaching staff that he believes in, for a fan base that he knows and loves,” Wiltfong said. “South Carolina was in terrific shape six months ago, but I think Georgia grabbed some momentum as of late. But I think when it’s time to sit down and where he wanted to play his college football, I think that South Carolina had kind of inched its way back up into the front going into tonight’s announcement.”

If McLoud chooses the Gamecocks, he would the latest blue-chip defensive line recruit to pledge to Beamer and his staff. South Carolina got a commitment last week from Sumter (S.C.) four-star EDGE Monteque Rhames.

Nyckoles Harbor heavily considering South Carolina

Harbor, a 6-foot-5, 225 pound prospect, is one of the most dynamic athletes in the 2023 cycle. He ran the 100-meter-dash in a personal-record 10.28 seconds and the 200-meter-dash in 20.79 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever by a high school sprinter in the U.S.

Earlier today, it was reported that Harbor will be taking an official visit to South Carolina on Sept. 17. The No. 10 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus also visited Columbia earlier this summer.

“Nyckoles Harbor is certainly one of their main targets,” Wiltfong said. “It’ll be his third visit to campus. His dad’s never been to a college football game… so he’s looking forward to seeing what that atmosphere is like in Columbia because they were just taken aback by just the support the community has for the Gamecocks there. Obviously, they know the coaching staff well, kind of… Nyckoles fit in well with the guys they had on campus and the players in the locker room when he was there.”

Harbor is still being pursued by some of the top programs in college football. He is taking an official visit to LSU on Oct. 7 and Wiltfong believes the Tigers “are in a great spot.” Other contenders include Georgia, Maryland, Miami, Michigan and USC.

Wiltfong added that schools may have to recruit Harbor to play offense. Even though he is capable of playing anywhere on the field, he has a dream in running in the Olympics.

“I do think that there is a thought of, ‘How much weight can I put on to be able to run the times that I want to run, to achieve my dreams of maybe running in the Olympics, even in 2024,'” Wiltfong said. “So I think if you recruit him as an offensive hybrid player, which I think South Carolina has ramped up there, I think that it’s another interesting wrinkle in that recruitment because with his speed and size, he can be a mismatch for you with what he brings to the table.”

South Carolina in good position for blue-chip defensive prospects

According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, South Carolina is the favorite to land Hardy at 91.5%. Meanwhile, the RPM gives the Gamecocks the second-highest-odds (33.2%) to land Umeozulu behind Ohio State (55.2%).

Regarding Hardy, Wiltfong said he is “a little raw, but there’s a lot of developmental tools” shown by him. Landing the nation’s No. 146 overall prospect would be a massive win for South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ top commitment is currently Roebuck (S.C.) Dorman four-star interior offensive lineman Markee Anderson, the No. 139 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus.

Earning a commitment from Umeozulu would mark a huge victory as well. Umeozulu, who is choosing between the Gamecocks, the Buckeyes, North Carolina and Pittsburgh, is committing on Aug. 29.

Wiltfong believes that South Carolina is recruiting the 6-foot-6, 239 pound prospect the hardest. While he thought Ohio State was the team to beat in the past, the Gamecocks are pushing hard for the defensive lineman.

“I just think South Carolina, from Shane Beamer in the corner office all the way down the defensive side, the defensive staff, they’ve really prioritized him,” Wiltfong said. “He likes the defensive line coach. I think there’s a lot of momentum with South Carolina. He’s been there twice, so I’m keeping a close eye on the Gamecocks for him.”