South Carolina advances in On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings

South Carolina notched its latest win on the recruiting trail Thursday when Camden (S.C.) four-star defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod committed to the Gamecocks. His decision elevated South Carolina’s 2023 recruiting class to No. 19 in the 2023 On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings. McLeod’s pledge also helped the Gamecocks’ group rise one spot from No. 20 and remain No. 7 in the SEC. 

“A big part of my decision was staying home,” McLeod told On3’s Chad Simmons. “I think (head) coach Shane Beamer is going to do great things at South Carolina. It is a school close to home with great coaches and location did factor into my commitment.”

McLeod is currently the second-highest-ranked prospect in South Carolina’s class behind Roebuck (S.C.) Dorman four-star interior offensive lineman Markee Anderson. A 6-foot-4.5, 325 pound prospect, McLeod is the No. 189 overall recruit and No. 24 defensive lineman in the 2023 On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 3 player in South Carolina.

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Strong recruiting summer for Gamecocks continues

A few weeks ago, the Gamecocks’ class took a large climb in the rankings. That’s because they landed four commitments over six days. The prospects who announced their pledges then were Anderson, Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic four-star offensive tackle Oluwatosin Babalade, Sumter (S.C.) four-star EDGE Monteque Rhames and Villa Rica (Ga.) three-star offensive tackle Jatavius Shivers.

Anderson, Babalade and Rhames are all top-350 prospects and three of the top six commitments in South Carolina’s class. The others are McLeod, Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson four-star linebacker Grayson Howard and Sandersville (Ga.) Washington County four-star running back Dontavius Braswell.

McLeod was a key pickup for head coach Shane Beamer and his staff because he is the first defensive line pledge for the Gamecocks this cycle. Additionally, South Carolina only has one EDGE commitment in Rhames.

South Carolina’s only commitments of August so far are McLeod and Babalade. Last month, the program landed pledges from Anderson, Braswell, Rhames and Shivers.

Additionally, the Gamecocks earned eight commitments in June. They are Howard, Fort Myers (Fla.) Lehigh Senior four-star wide receiver Kelton Henderson, Eatonton (Ga.) Putnam County four-star safety Jalon Kilgore, Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School three-star tight end Connor Cox, Mableton (Ga.) Pebblebrook three-star wide receiver CJ Adams, Anniston (Ala.) Anniston School three-star tight end Kamron Sandlin, Rock Hill (S.C.) Legion Collegiate three-star safety Judge Collier and a junior college transfer in Snow College (Utah) offensive tackle Isaiah Jatta.

South Carolina may not be done on recruiting trail

Multiple months remain until the early signing period. There is a chance that South Carolina’s class looks much different then.

The Gamecocks are a contender for Washington (D.C.) Archbishop Carroll five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor, the No. 10 overall player in the On3 Consensus. He is taking an official visit to Columbia on Sept. 17 and previously visited South Carolina earlier this summer.

Macon (Ga.) Tattnall Square Academy four-star defensive lineman Zavion Hardy and Upper Marlboro (Md.) Charles Herbert Flowers four-star EDGE Desmond Umeozulu are also considering the Gamecocks. Umeozulu took an official visit to South Carolina on June 10, while Hardy took an unofficial visit later in June.

According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Gamecocks have a 91.5% chance to land Hardy’s commitment. Meanwhile, the RPM gives South Carolina the second-highest-odds (33.2%) to earn a pledge from Umeozulu behind Ohio State (55.2%).