Priority South Carolina football recruiting target wins Player of the Year award on the hardwood
One of the top South Carolina football recruiting targets in the class of 2026 is offensive lineman Darius Gray. Gray, a 4-star interior offensive lineman, possesses a rare combination of size, strength, and athletic ability up front. In addition to being an elite blocker for his St. Christopher’s School squad, he also excels as a basketball player.
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In fact, this weekend, Gray picked up a big-time award on the hardwood. The big fella earned Co-Prep League Player of the Year honors in Virginia following a strong junior season. Gray and St. Christopher’s finished second in their conference tournament recently and will have a chance to make a run in the state playoff tournament that starts this week.
In recent weeks, Gray has posted some eye-popping stat lines. Just in February, he has logged games with 38 points and 15 rebounds, 23 points and 11 rebounds, and 21 points and 19 rebounds.
On the gridiron, Gray earned Virginia all-state honors as both an offensive and defensive line standout. A Navy All-American as a junior, Gray’s strong hands and quick feet on the basketball court translate to the football field. He uses his athletic ability to get into his pass protection drops quickly and efficiently. He also utilizes his strong lower half to maul defenders in the run game. Gray also plays with a never-ending motor. He has littered his game film with play-until-the-whistle moments.
The 6-3, 285-pound Gray projects as an interior offensive lineman at the college level. However, his experience as a high school tackle can only help as he transitions to pass blocking against power conference competition.
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Gray has official visits planned to South Carolina, Georgia, Penn State, Virginia, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, Clemson, and Virginia Tech. He also is talking with Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and Alabama.
On3’s industry ranking–a composite ranking of the four recruiting services–lists Gray at No. 40 nationally in the 2026 class. Gray also is No. 2 in Virginia and No. 3 nationally among interior offensive line prospects.
According to One’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, South Carolina is favored in Gray’s recruitment. The Gamecocks have set themselves up to be a real factor, but Gray has legitimate interest in other programs, as well.
This winter, Gray told On3 that the Gamecocks are one of his favorite teams and that non-football reasons play a big part in those feelings. “My favorite thing is the people there,” Gray said. “They’re doing everything the right way. They’re really starting to get the things they want and that’s winning a lot of games. It’s great to see them get what they want and [them] doing it the right way. The main thing is the people there. That’s the biggest thing.
