Auditing the talent on South Carolina football's roster (an overview)

South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer has presided over an impressive rebuild. The USC roster was not where it needed to be when Beamer took over in Columbia back in 2021. However, because of three top 20 recruiting classes in a row and some strong work in the transfer portal, the Gamecocks have added enough talent to win nine games in 2024 and be a College Football Playoff hopeful again heading into 2025.

But how much talent does South Carolina actually have? Using the On3 industry rankings—a weighted composite of the rankings from On3, 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals—what would an audit of the roster reveal?

We’ve already taken individual looks at the offense and the defense. You can read the audit of the South Carolina offense here. You can read the audit of the South Carolina defense here.

In all, based on high school On3 industry rankings, South Carolina’s offense and defense have a total of three 5-star, 35 4-star, 36 3-star, and 8 unranked players. Of the 22 players who joined the Gamecocks via the transfer portal, three are 4-star transfers. That means that 38 of the 82 total scholarship position players were blue chippers out of high school, and 41 of the 82 earned 4-star or better ratings out of high school and/or out of the transfer portal. USC’s special teams unit has three 3-star prospects, but all three earned 5-star ratings from Kohl’s Kicking. In all, 41 of 85 scholarship players were high school blue chippers, and 44 of 85 earned 4-star or 5-star ratings out of high school and/or the transfer portal.

Below is a breakdown for each position on both offense and defense, plus a look at Carolina’s scholarship special teamers.

*This audit only includes scholarship players.

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Quarterback

2 4 stars, 2 3 stars; 1 4-star transfer

LaNorris Sellers: 4 star (91.14) in class of 2023

Air Noland*: 4 star (95.81) in class of 2024; 4 star (90.00) in transfer portal class of 2025

Dante Reno: 3 star (88.25) in class of 2024

Cutter Woods**: 3 star (88.03) in class of 2025

*Incoming transfer portal addition
**Incoming true freshman

Running Back

1 4 star, 2 3 stars, 2 unranked; 1 4-star transfer, 1 3-star transfer, 1 unranked transfer

Rahsul Faison*: 3 star (77.32) in class of 2019; 4 star (91.50) in transfer portal class of 2025

Oscar Adaway: 3 star (82.38) in class of 2019; 3 star (87.56) in transfer portal class of 2024

Jawarn Howell: Unranked in class of 2023; Unranked in transfer portal class of 2024

Matthew Fuller: 4 star (90.64) in class of 2024

Bradley Dunn: Unranked in class of 2020

*Incoming transfer portal addition

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Wide Receiver

1 5 star, 8 4 stars, 2 3 stars; 2 3-star transfers

Nyck Harbor*: 5 star (97.53) in class of 2023

Mazeo Bennett: 4 star (90.23) in class of 2024

Jared Brown: 3 star (82.83) in class of 2021; 3 star (89.15) in transfer portal class of 2024

Vandrevius Jacobs: 4 star (89.92) in class of 2023; 3 star (88.82) in transfer portal class of 2024

Luke Doty**: 4 star (94.47) in class of 2020

Malik Clark***: 4 star (94.48) in class of 2025

Donovan Murph***: 4 star (92.29) in class of 2025

Brian Rowe***: 4 star (90.95) in class of 2025

Jordon Gidron***: 4 star (90.35) in class of 2025

Lex Cyrus***: 4 star (90.26) in class of 2025

Jayden Sellers***: 3 star (86.41) in class of 2025

*Rated as an “Athlete” in class of 2023 before moving to receiver with Gamecocks
**Rated as a quarterback in class of 2020 before becoming an “Athlete” with Gamecocks; could play receiver, quarterback, or special teams
***Incoming true freshman

Tight End

1 4 star, 3 3 stars, 1 unranked; 2 3-star transfers

Michael Smith: 4 star (93.19) in class of 2024

Brady Hunt*: 3 star (78.41) in class of 2021; 3 star (85.56) in transfer portal class of 2024

Jordan Dingle**: 3 star (86.50) in class of 2021; 3 star (85.86) in transfer portal class of 2025

Maurice Brown: Unranked in class of 2023

Mike Tyler***: 3 star (88.82) in class of 2025

*Rated as a quarterback in class of 2021 before playing tight end at Ball State and with Gamecocks; transfer portal ranking as a tight end
**Incoming transfer portal addition
***Incoming true freshman

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Offensive Tackle

4 4-stars, 3 3-stars

Josiah Thompson*: 4 star (96.76) in class of 2024

Kam Pringle: 4 star (90.72) in class of 2024

Tree Babalade: 4 star (91.80) in class of 2023

Cason Henry: 3 star (85.03) in class of 2022

Jatavius Shivers: 3 star (86.45) in class of 2023

Jakai Moore**: 3 star (88.17) in class of 2019

Damola Ajidahun***: 4 star (90.42) in class of 2025

*Earned a 5-star rating from On3
**Also has starts on the interior of the offensive line
***Incoming true freshman

Interior Offensive Linemen

2 4-stars, 5 3-stars, 1 unranked; 3 3-star transfers

Nick Sharp*: 3 star (81.51) in class of 2021; 3 star (86.96) in transfer portal class of 2025

Boaz Stanley*: Unranked in class of 2022; 3 star (86.67) in transfer portal class of 2025

Rodney Newsom*: 3 star (79.58) in class of 2020; 3 star (89.35) in transfer portal class of 2025

Trovon Baugh**: 3 star (88.46) in class of 2023

Markee Anderson: 4 star (92.75) in class of 2023

Blake Franks: 3 star (88.41) in class of 2023

Ryan Brubaker: 3 star (88.05) in class of 2022

Shed Sarratt***: 4 star (90.08) in class of 2025

*Incoming transfer portal addition
**Earned a 4-star rating from On3
***Incoming true freshman

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Defensive Tackle

1 5 star, 2 4 stars, 4 3 stars; 1 4-star junior college addition; 3 3-star transfers

Nick Barrett: 3 star (82.83) in class of 2021

Monkell Goodwine: 4 star (95.22) in class of 2022; 3 star (87.84) in transfer portal class of 2024

Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy*: 5 star (98.15) in class of 2022; 3 star (88.00) in transfer portal class of 2025

Davonte Miles*: 3 star (83.85) in class of 2022; 3 star (84.00) in transfer portal class of 2025

Zavion Hardy**: 4 star (89.48) in class of 2023; 4 star (92.49) in junior college class of 2025

Christian Ingram***: 3 star (88.95) in class of 2025

Caleb Williams***: 3 star (88.01) in class of 2025

*Incoming transfer portal addition
**Incoming junior college addition
***Incoming true freshman

Defensive End/EDGE

1 5 star, 4 4 stars, 4 3 stars; 2 3-star transfers

Dylan Stewart: 5 star (98.32) in class of 2024

Bryan Thomas, Jr.: 3 star (84.30) in class of 2022

Desmond Umeozulu: 4 star (93.05) in class of 2023

JT Geer: 3 star (82.85) in class of 2021; 3 star (86.00) in transfer portal class of 2023

Jaylen Brown*: 4 star (90.64) in class of 2024; 3 star (90.34) in transfer portal class of 2025

Wendell Gregory: 4 star (91.98) in class of 2024

Jaquavious Dodd**: 4 star (92.02) in class of 2025

Anthony Addison**: 3 star (88.67) in class of 2025

Kobby Sakyi-Prah**: 3 star (86.96) in class of 2025

*Incoming transfer portal addition
**Incoming true freshman

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Linebacker

4 4 stars, 3 3 stars, 2 Unranked; 3 3-star transfers

Fred “JayR” Johnson: 4 star (92.15) in class of 2024

Justin Okoronkwo*: Unranked in class of 2024; 3 star (86.06) in transfer portal class of 2025

Shawn Murphy*: 4 star (95.44) in class of 2022; 3 star (85.67) in transfer portal class of 2025

Jaron Willis: 4 star (91.62) in class of 2022; 3 star (89.26) in transfer portal class of 2023

Ronnie Porter: Unranked in class of 2021

Donovan Darden**: 4 star (92.47) in class of 2025

Taeshawn Alston**: 3 star (87.68) in class of 2025

AJ Holloway***: 3 star (86.52) in class of 2025

Josh Smith****: 3 star (86.67) in class of 2025

*Incoming transfer portal addition
**Incoming true freshman rated as an EDGE in high school
***Incoming true freshman
****Incoming true freshman who earned a 4-star ranking from On3

Cornerback

3 4 stars, 2 3 stars, 1 Unranked; 1 4-star transfer, 1 3-star transfer

Vicari Swain*: 4 star (92.04) in class of 2023

Judge Collier: 3 star (84.83) in class of 2023

Brandon Cisse**: 3 star (88.94) in class of 2023; 4 star (91.73) in transfer portal class of 2025

Myles Norwood**: Unranked in class of 2021; 3 star (86.42) in transfer portal class of 2025

Jalewis Solomon: 4 star (90.36) in class of 2024

Emory Floyd: 4 star (89.01) in class of 2022

*Rated as an “Athlete” in class of 2024 before moving to cornerback with Gamecocks
**Incoming transfer portal addition

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Safety

4 4 stars, 6 3 stars, 1 Unranked; 1 3-star transfer

DQ Smith*: 3 star (84.41) in class of 2022

Jalon Kilgore: 4 star (90.77) in class of 2023

Peyton Williams: 3 star (88.86) in class of 2022

Kelvin Hunter: 4 star (89.94) in class of 2024

David Bucey: 3 star (84.92) in class of 2024

Gerald Kilgore: Unranked in class of 2022; 3 star (85.22) in transfer portal class of 2024

Zahbari Sandy: 3 star (87.80) in class of 2023

Jaquel Holman**: 4 star (89.64) in class of 2025

Kendall Daniels***: 4 star (90.56) in class of 2025

Damarcus Leach***: 3 star (87.50) in class of 2025

Chris Hatfield***: 3 star (85.88) in class of 2025

*Rated as an “Athlete” in the class of 2022 before moving to safety with the Gamecocks
**Incoming true freshman rated as an “Athlete” in high school
***Incoming true freshman

Special Teamers

Mason Love (Punter/Kicker)*: 3 star (81.24) in class of 2024

Max Kelley (Kicker/Punter)**: 3 star (80.62) in class of 2025

Kyler Farrow (Snapper)***: 3 star (79.59) in class of 2025

*Redshirt freshman rated as a 5-star punter and kicker by Kohl’s Kicking
**Incoming true freshman rated as a 5-star kicker and 4.5-star punter by Kohl’s Kicking
***Incoming true freshman rated as a 5-star snapper by Kohl’s Kicking

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