Meet the class: South Carolina football locks up 2024 signees, transfer portal adds
The South Carolina football team’s 2024 recruiting class becomes officially official starting today.
The 16-member class (as of Wednesday afternoon) was ranked No. 18 nationally by the 247Sports Composite, which factors in player ratings from all major recruiting networks. Headliners include five-star edge rusher Dylan Stewart of Washington, DC; five-star offensive lineman Josiah Thompson of Dillon High in South Carolina; and four-star quarterback Dante Reno from Cheshire, Connecticut.
Wednesday marked the first day of college football’s early signing period that lasts through Friday. It’s Shane Beamer’s fourth recruiting class as South Carolina’s head coach.
Here’s the latest on who’s officially a Gamecock as part of the December signing period — and info on the transfer portal additions that South Carolina confirmed Wednesday.
Jared Brown, WR (12:13 p.m.)
Transfer / Three stars / 6-foot, 175 / Lilburn, GA
Brown comes to South Carolina by way of Coastal Carolina. Last season, he caught 58 passes for 740 yards and four touchdowns. Brown was going to visit Louisville and Auburn before making his decision on where to transfer to but canceled after visiting South Carolina for a weekend, according to On3.
Gerald Kilgore, DB (10:42 a.m.)
Transfer / Three stars / 6-foot, 202 / Eatonton, GA
Kilgore, brother of South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore, comes to USC by way of Tennessee Tech. Gerald has three years of eligibility remaining. He will make the jump to FBS after converting from quarterback to defensive back last season and recording 37 tackles, including 2.5 TFLs.
Debron Gatling, WR (9:35 a.m.)
Three stars / 6-foot, 195 / Alpharetta, GA
Originally a Texas A&M commitment, he signed with South Carolina instead on Wednesday. He finished the 2023 season with 84 catches for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns — and has more than 3,000 career receiving yards. The Under Armour All-American also helped lead Milton High to a state championship.
Brady Hunt, TE (9:16 a.m.)
Transfer / Three stars / 6-foot-6, 249 / Muncie, IN
Hunt comes to South Carolina by way of Ball State. He missed last season with an ankle injury, but had 46 catches for 498 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 as a freshman. Hunt also has experience playing quarterback – the position he was recruited to play out of high school. In his home state of Indiana, Hunt threw for more than 3,700 career yards with 47 passing touchdowns and 17 rushing touchdowns.
Deandre Jules, DL (9:03 a.m.)
Transfer / Four stars / 6-foot-3, 310 / Germantown, MD
Jules comes to South Carolina by way of Pitt. He has one season of eligibility remaining. Last season Jules accumulated 24 tackles, including 7.5 TFLs and two sacks.
Kelvin Hunter, S (8:58 a.m.)
Four stars / 6-foot-0, 190 / Florence, SC
Hunter, the No. 33 safety prospect in the nation, committed to South Carolina in April over Virginia Tech, Michigan, Auburn and Appalachian State. West Florence coach Jody Jenerette told The State that Hunter’s strength is his speed. “He has legit SEC top-end speed,” Jenerette said. “He’s physical enough to be a boc player and will be talented enough to backpedal when needed. He probably projects as a nickel type guy on Saturdays. …The thing that will get him on the field early is his uncanny ability to block punts.”
Jerome Simmons, DL (8:48 a.m.)
Three stars / 6-foot-4, 333 / Bamberg, SC
Simmons is the sixth rated JUCO defensive lineman in the country, according to 247 Sports composite rankings. In 17 games at Highland Community College, he recorded 50 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Fred Johnson, LB (8:45 a.m.)
Three stars / 6-foot-4, 225 / Norfolk, VA
Johnson, the No. 40 linebacker prospect in the nation, announced his commitment to South Carolina in June over Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Duke.
Oscar Adaway III, RB (8:44 a.m.)
Transfer / Three stars / 5-foot-10, 219 / North Little Rock, AR
Adaway comes to South Carolina by way of North Texas. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Last season with the Mean Green, Adaway rushed for over 700 yards (averaging 6 per carry), six touchdowns and 14 catches.
Kyle Kennard, Edge (8:42 a.m.)
Transfer / Four stars / 6-foot-5, 238 / Atlanta, GA
Kennard comes to South Carolina by way of Georgia Tech. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Kennard only started in half the Yellow Jackets games as a junior last season but recorded 54 tackles, including 11 TFLs and six sacks.
Jalewis Solomon, ATH (8:33 a.m.)
Four stars / 6-foot-0, 185 / Ellaville, GA
Solomon, the No. 9 athlete prospect in the nation, committed to the Gamecocks in October after decommitting from the Auburn Tigers. He has played on both sides of the ball for Schley County High School in Georgia. As a senior, Solomon racked up 1,072 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns along with eight interceptions and 26 tackles, according to MaxPreps.
Mason Love, P (8:32 a.m.)
Five stars (per Kohl’s) / 5-foot-11, 175 / Riverside, MO
Love announced his commitment to South Carolina in June. The No. 1 punter prospect in the nation, according to Kohl’s rankings, then looked like the heir apparent to Kai Kroeger, but starting kicker Mitch Jeter’s decision to enter the transfer portal could expand Love’s role with the Gamecocks next season.
Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, RB (8:29 a.m.)
Transfer / Four stars / 6-foot-2, 242 / Rockledge, FL
Sanders comes to South Carolina by way of Arkansas. He missed six games last season with a knee injury, but was one of the best rushers in the SEC as a true sophomore in 2022, accumulating 1,443 yards (averaging 6.5 per carry) and 10 touchdowns.
Matthew Fuller, RB (8:02 a.m.)
Four stars / 5-foot-10, 205 / Jesup, GA
Fuller is the No. 35 running back prospect in the nation. He committed to USC in June. The Gamecocks’ run game struggled this year in large part due to a lack of depth and experience at the position, and their leading rusher Mario Anderson entered the transfer portal this month. Fuller will add depth to South Carolina’s revamped running back room.
Dylan Stewart, Edge (7:56 a.m.)
Five stars / 6-foot-5, 250 / Washington, D.C.
The highest-rated member of the class, Stewart announced his verbal commitment to South Carolina on Aug. 1. His pledge gave the Gamecocks five-star commitments in back-to-back classes, with wide receiver Nyck Harbor signing with the Gamecocks for 2023. Stewart is the No. 2 edge prospect and No. 17 overall recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.
Josiah Thompson, OT (7:54 a.m.)
Five stars / 6-foot-7, 280 / Dillon, SC
Thompson, the No. 3 offensive tackle prospect in the nation (No. 1 recruit in South Carolina), announced his commitment to South Carolina in April over Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Miami and Tennessee. When now-Alabama offensive line coach Eric Wolford worked at South Carolina, he and Will Muschamp were one of the first to offer Thompson. Beamer’s staff re-offered Thompson in 2020 and made him a top priority.
Michael Smith, TE (7:52 a.m.)
Four stars / 6-foot-4, 250 / Savannah, GA
Smith, the No. 10 tight end prospect in the nation, committed to USC in January. But ahead of the early signing period, he reportedly considered Tennessee and Auburn as collegiate destinations while maintaining “regular communication” with Beamer and his staff. The Gamecocks pulled through, though.
Wendell Gregory, LB (7:50 a.m.)
Four stars / 6-foot-2, 225 / Marietta, GA
Gregory, the No. 11 linebacker prospect in the nation, committed to the Gamecocks in January over Tennessee, North Carolina, Auburn and Missouri. He is the highest-rated linebacker to sign with USC since Bryson Allen-Williams in the 2014 class. Debo Williams and Stone Blanton played a majority of snaps at linebacker in 2023 for USC while freshman Grayson “Pup” Howard developed.
David Bucey, DB (7:45 a.m.)
Three stars / 6-foot-0, 195 / Savannah, GA
Bucey, the No. 100 linebacker prospect in the nation, committed to the Gamecocks in June over Georgia Tech, Iowa State, West Virginia, Tulane, Appalachian State and 14 others (he had 20 total offers). South Carolina recruited him as a safety, offering him a scholarship after he impressed Beamer with his style of play at a prospect camp earlier in the month. The Gamecocks announced him Wednesday as a DB signee.
Jawarn Howell, RB (7:43 a.m.)
S.C. State transfer / 6-foot-1, 215 / Mooresville, NC
Howell is one of three transfer portal additions at running back. As a freshman this past season for the Bulldogs, Howell ran for over 800 yards on just 102 carries (7.9 ypc) while finding the end zone nine times.
Blake Franks, OT (7:36 a.m.)
Three stars / 6-foot-5, 345 / Greenville, SC
Franks, the No. 38 offensive tackle prospect in the nation (No. 7 recruit in South Carolina), committed to USC in March over Clemson (despite having grown up a Tigers fan), Alabama, Auburn and Florida. He and South Carolina class member Mazeo Bennett are high school teammates. Depending on the Gamecocks’ needs, Franks could occupy a tackle or guard position on the offensive line.
Mazeo Bennett, WR (7:33 a.m.)
Four stars / 5-foot-11, 180 / Greenville, SC
Bennett, the No. 34 wide receiver prospect in the nation and No. 4 overall recruit in South Carolina, committed to the Gamecocks last December after having previously pledged to Tennessee. He and South Carolina recruiting class member Blake Franks are high school teammates. Bennett’s coach Greg Porter told The State that Bennett has “strength, work ethic, academics, hard worker on and off the field. He is a good blocker, selfless, great competitor, game-day speed, has toughness, great hands and leadership.”
Kam Pringle, OT (7:33 a.m.)
Four stars / 6-foot-7, 360 / Dorchester, SC
Pringle, the No. 6 offensive tackle prospect in the nation (No. 2 recruit in South Carolina), committed to the Gamecocks in January over Clemson, Florida, Georgia, N.C. State and Tennessee. In addition to football, Pringle played basketball and did track in high school. He won the Class 2A shot put and discus championship in 2022.
Dante Reno, QB (7:31 a.m.)
Four stars / 6-foot-2, 205 / Cheshire, CT
Reno, the No. 22 quarterback prospect in the nation, was South Carolina’s first commitment in the Class of 2024. He pledged to play for Beamer and the Gamecocks in July of 2022 over Kentucky, N.C. State, Purdue, Virginia and Wake Forest. He’ll join scholarship signal callers LaNorris Sellers and Luke Doty (who played wide receiver in 2023) in South Carolina’s quarterback room next season.
USC class at a glance
The list of players (high school or junior college) who were committed to South Carolina as of Wednesday afternoon.
Quarterback
4-star Dante Reno; Cheshire (CT)
Running back
4-star Matthew Fuller; Jesup (GA)
Wide receiver
4-star Mazeo Bennett; Greenville (SC)
Tight end
4-star Michael Smith; Savannah (GA)
Offensive line
5-star Josiah Thompson; Dillon (SC)
4-star Kam Pringle; Dorchester (SC)
4-star Blake Franks; Greenville (SC)
Defensive line
5-star Dylan Stewart; Washington, D.C.
3-star Jerome Simmons; Highland CC (KS)
Linebacker
4-star Wendell Gregory; Marietta (GA)
3-star Fred Johnson; Norfolk (VA)
Safety
4-star Kelvin Hunter; Florence (SC)
3-star David Bucey; Savannah (GA)
Athlete
4-star Jalewis Solomon, Ellaville (GA)
Punter
Mason Love; Riverside (MO)
