South Carolina football recruiting profiles: Jaquel Holman
South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer and his coaching staff have less than a month before National Signing Day. (Remember when recruits signed in February?) The Early Signing Period begins Wednesday, December 4th, and the majority of teams’ high school recruiting classes will be completed by the time the Early Signing Period ends on Friday, December 6th. In the weeks leading up to NSD, GamecockCentral will profile each player in the 2025 recruiting class. Today, we will look at linebacker Jaquel Holman.
Jaquel Holman (4-star, Linebacker, 6’1.5″, 197 pounds)
What the rankings say: 3-star in On3 industry rankings, No. 404 nationally, No. 9 in South Carolina, No. 41 among all linebackers; On3’s player ranking has Jaquel Holman as a 4-star prospect; two outlets rank him as a running back, one rates his as a running back, and On3 lists him at linebacker
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Jaquel Holman is an intriguing prospect. The Palmetto State native is a standout at running back and plays all over the defense at Blackville-Hilda High School. For now, he is expected to begin his career at linebacker, but neither safety nor running back is 100% out of the question depending on his physical development and the team’s needs moving forward.
For a linebacker, Holman is still a bit undersized. He currently weighs just under 200 pounds but has a frame that can add weight. What he does have is exceptional athleticism for the position. Holman is fast (as in, he is a state champion in the 100-meter, fast), and he plays with physicality. If he adds the appropriate weight to take on SEC athletes, he has a high ceiling.
With his speed, Holman feels like the type of player who can develop into a really nice player at the college level. Stylistically, defensive coordinator Clayton White tends to favor linebackers who can run sideline to sideline, and that’s Holman’s exact archetype.
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Because of his current size, Holman likely will need a season or two to develop before getting on the field at linebacker. However, the On3 4-star seems like an ideal candidate to play on special teams. He looks like a player who could excel as a coverage player on kickoffs and punts, and his high school experience on offense could make him a candidate to help out with certain gadget plays in the third phase, as well.
Holman is one of ten in-state commitments (for now) in the 2025 cycle. He is one of five defenders, joining EDGEs Jaquavious Dodd and Anthony Addison, linebacker Josh Smith, and safety Damarcus Leach. He also is one of ten 2025 pledges rated as a 4-star prospect by at least one major recruiting outlet.
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You can watch some of Holman’s film below.
