South Carolina makes top list for priority in-state 4-star
South Carolina football defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator Torrian Gray has the Gamecocks in position for a strong 2026 recruiting haul. So far, USC has just one secondary commitment as 4-star safety J’Zavien Currence pledged his services to the program in the fall. However, Gray has the garnet and black firmly in the game for multiple other top prospects in the defensive backfield. One of the team’s priority targets is 4-star defensive back Tamarion Watkins.
A Rock Hill native like Currence, Watkins has told On3 that South Carolina is one of his final four schools. Joining the Gamecocks on Watkins’ list are the Georgia Bulldogs, Texas A&M Aggies, and Miami Hurricanes.
On3’s industry ranking considers Watkins to be the No. 327 overall prospect in the country. He’s also the No. 6 player in the Palmetto State and the No. 33 safety nationally.
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Standing at 6-4 and weighing in at 201 pounds, the Northwestern High School product is a big safety. In fact, earlier in his recruitment, word was that Georgia was recruiting Watkins as a linebacker. While it is unclear if that is still the case, like a linebacker, Watkins has plus tackling skills. He also is a smooth athlete on the back end who covers a lot of ground defending against the pass. He plays on offense for Northwestern, too, but his future is as a defender.
South Carolina has been a favorite for Watkins for some time, but his other suitors are pushing hard, too. Miami is a more recent player in his recruitment, but he has official visits scheduled to his other finalists (and one to Alabama, though it is unclear if he still plans to take that trip). The Gamecocks will host Watkins on June 20th immediately following three weekends of scheduled visits to Alabama (May 30th), Georgia (June 6th), and Texas A&M (June 13th).
