Gamecocks land elite 2023 JUCO defensive lineman with SC ties

South Carolina has hauled in a massive new member of its 2023 recruiting class.

East Mississippi Community College defensive lineman Elijah Davis announced Tuesday night that he’s committed to USC.

Davis is rated a four-star recruit, the No. 4 junior college player and the No. 1 JUCO defensive lineman in the 2023 class, per the 247Sports Composite that factors in all networks.

The former Wagener-Salley High standout — who is 6-foot-4 and weighs 280 pounds — spent the past two years in Scooba, Mississippi, where he evolved into one of the more dominant defensive linemen at the junior college level. He finished the 2022 season with 35 tackles, three sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss as the Lions went 8-3.

Davis reported offers from Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn, among others.

Davis is the latest get for a South Carolina defensive line class that is already among the better groups in the country. He joins a list that includes four-star prospects Desmond Umeozulu (No. 159 overall), Xzavier McLeod (No. 186 overall), Zavion Hardy (No. 227 overall) and Monteque Rhames (No. 367 overall).

The Gamecocks are set to lose Zacch Pickens, who’s already announced he’s skipping the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Defensive end Gilber Edmond also entered the transfer portal.

South Carolina football 2023 commits

RB Dontavius Braswell, Washington County (Ga.) OL Trovon Baugh, Pace Academy (Ga.) OL Jatavius Shivers, Villa Rica (Ga.) OL Markee Anderson, Dorman OL Oluwatosin Babalade, Hyattsville (Md.) WR CJ Adams, Pebblebrook (Ga.) WR Tyshawn Russell (Pa.) TE Connor Cox, The Bolles School (Fla.) TE Reid Mikeska, Cypress (Tx) TE Kamron Sandlin, Anniston (Ala.) S Judge Collier, Legion Collegiate, Rock Hill DL Elijah Davis, East Miss. CC DL Xzavier McLeod, Camden

DL Zavion Hardy, Macon (Ga.)

DE Monteque Rhames, Manning (transferred from Sumter)

DE Desmond Umeozulu (Md.) LB Grayson Howard, Andrew Jackson (Fla.) S Jalon Kilgore, Putnam County (Ga.)

S Zahbari Sandy, St John’s, Washington (DC) S Cam Upshaw, Taylor County (Fla.) ATH Vicari Swain, Central (Ga.) ATH Kelton Henderson, Lehigh Acres (Fla.)