South Carolina to receive official visit from elite offensive line target
South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer has enjoyed some very successful recruiting efforts in June during his time as the Gamecocks’ headman. This year’s June could shape up to be another important one as elite offensive lineman Darius Gray will take an official visit to Columbia then. On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported Gray’s schedule on Tuesday afternoon.
In addition to his trip to USC, Gray will take official visits to Clemson (May 31st-June 2nd), Tennessee (June 7th-9th), LSU (June 14th-16th), and Penn State (21st-23rd). If he doesn’t add another visit, South Carolina will get the last crack at having him on campus. The 6’3″, 285-pound blocker has visited the Gamecocks unofficially over 10 times.
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A product of St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia, Gray is yet another player from the Old Dominion recruited by the Gamecocks. As part of their strong efforts in the DMV, South Carolina has landed three players from Virginia in the last two cycles, including two 4-star prospects.
On3 views Gray as a potential 5-star prospect. Currently a 4-star, he is On3’s No. 25 overall recruit, a spot firmly inside future 5-star territory. He also is the No. 2 player from Virginia and No. 4 interior offensive lineman in the entire class.
Gray was a Navy All-American Bowl selection as a junior. He earned the selection after a big-time showing in 2024. Gray is one of the best run blockers in the country, a by-product of his impressive strength and athleticism. In fact, the big man is such a remarkable athlete that a lot of his available film online is of him playing on the defensive line and logging double-doubles for the St. Christopher’s basketball team.
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South Carolina has been in a solid position in Gray’s recruitment for a long time. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, USC is the clear leader for Gray at this time. GamecockCentral’s Chris Clark included Gray on his “best bets” list for the class of 2026.
Gray has mentioned South Carolina, Tennessee, LSU, Penn State, and Virginia as teams standing out in his recruitment. Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia Tech also are pursuing the talented offensive lineman.
“My favorite thing is the people there,” Gray said to On3 recently about the Gamecocks. “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.”
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So far in the class of 2026, the Gamecocks have five commitments. All-American safety J’Zavien Currence, tight end Jamel Howse, EDGE/linebacker Keenan Britt, defensive back Peyton Dyer, and offensive lineman Anthony Baxter all pledged their services to the South Carolina football program in 2024.
