Major South Carolina football recruiting target announces decision date
One of the top targets on the South Carolina football recruiting board is Samari Matthews. Nicknamed “Smoke,” the 4-star cornerback is one of the top defensive backs in the class of 2026, and the Gamecocks have been one of the teams highest on his list since the early days of his recruitment. On Friday, Matthews revealed that he knows when he wants to make his college decision.
According to an announcement on social media, Matthews will make a commitment on August 10th. The William Amos Hough product will be deciding between South Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, Oregon, and Texas. The Gamecocks, Tigers, Seminoles, and Ducks made up his top four several months ago, but the Longhorns have entered the discussion in a major way in recent months.
On3’s industry ranking–a weighted composite made up of the rankings from On3, 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals–considers Matthews as the No. 71 overall player in the class of 2026. He’s also the No. 7 player in a loaded North Carolina and No. 12 nationally among cornerbacks.
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Listed at 6-0 and 180 pounds, Matthews has good length and athletic traits. He is the prototypical “Torrian Gray corner” that has seen success at South Carolina since Gray’s hiring ahead of the 2021 season. Three Gamecock corners (Cam Smith, Darius Rush, and Marcellas Dial) have earned NFL Draft selections under Gray, and others have picked up contracts via free agency.
South Carolina does not have a cornerback committed in the class of 2026. Earlier in the cycle, 4-star Peyton Dyer pledged his services to USC, but he has since decommitted. In addition to Matthews, Gray and the Gamecocks are in on several other big-time players at the position.
