South Carolina football commitment gets 4-star rankings bump
South Carolina football commitment Donovan Darden has been an under-the-radar prospect for much of his recruitment. That is changing quickly. Unranked relatively recently, Darden earned a spot in the On3 player rankings around the time of his Gamecock pledge. However, this week, On3 has made the move to bump the athletic North Carolina native up to a 4-star rating.
With the ratings bump, Darden is No. 122 nationally and No. 6 in the Tar Heel State in On3’s rankings. He also now is a composite 4-star prospect and a composite top-400 player nationally.
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Listed as an EDGE prospect by most in the recruiting industry, Darden will begin his career in garnet and black as a linebacker for defensive coordinator Clayton White. He has the athletic profile to make the position switch as he is a smooth mover with plus-speed. His acceleration pops when you watch his film, and his length and experience as a pass rusher will come in handy in White’s scheme.
As a player, Darden shares traits with some current South Carolina linebackers. He is built almost identically (listed at 6’4″ with an even longer wingspan) to freshman Fred “JayR” Johnson. He’s longer but is a similar athlete to Demetrius Knight and Bam Martin-Scott as big, fast, and versatile ‘backers. He can run, he can rush the passer when asked, he can operate in space, and he makes his presence known when he makes a tackle. In his experience playing linebacker, he showcased an aggressive, downhill style, similar to the current USC linebackers. He also already seems comfortable in short zone coverages and does a good job getting his hands on passes.
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Like other linebackers, Darden’s combination of size and speed will make him a candidate to play early on special teams. However, with at least three linebackers graduating (Knight, Martin-Scott, and Debo Williams), he could fight for snaps on defense, too.
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Darden is from Havelock, North Carolina, a small city that has sent some good players to the Gamecocks. Most notably, University of South Carolina Letterman’s Hall of Famer Pharoh Cooper hailed from Havelock High School. The recruiting industry also undervalued Cooper before a late-cycle jump made him a 4-star recruit.
A look at his senior film makes it clear why On3 made the call to rocket Darden up the rankings. The young man is a freaky athlete who has a knack for making an impact. His ceiling as a player is almost unlimited. If he takes well to his new position and improves himself through weights, nutrition, and college coaching, Darden could become a defensive star for future South Carolina football teams.
You can watch some of Darden’s senior film below.
