Ohio defender becomes South Carolina’s second commitment for 2024 class

Shane Beamer picked up his second commitment from the 2024 recruiting class on Friday afternoon.

Three-star defensive back Karson Hobbs announced his commitment via Twitter. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound corner is from Cincinnati, Ohio and was offered by the Gamecocks on June 8.

The relationships Hobbs established with the “big three” of Beamer, defensive backs coach Torrian Gray and defensive analyst Ahmad Smith played a big role in his eventual commitment.

“You can’t get no better than them,” Hobbs told The State. “The way they treat me and always checking up on me making sure I’m OK, it’s deeper than football at that point. They’re really role models and mentors to me in life. So, I felt like I want to be surrounded by them people for the next four years.”

The idea of playing at a school that produced NFL talent like Stephon Gilmore and Jaycee Horn along with such current players as Cam Smith was another reason that South Carolina stuck out to Hobbs.

“I feel like for my dreams and to get where I want to be in life, I think coming here would really be my best bet, coming to play in the SEC and under coach Gray,” Hobbs said. “Seeing all the people that coach Gray sent to the NFL, it was kind of like a no-brainer — like, OK, yeah, this is where I want to be.”

Hobbs is a rising junior at Moeller High School. He fielded other offers from Akron, Kentucky, Marshall and West Virginia, according to his online recruiting profiles.

According to recruiting data kept by 247Sports, Hobbs is the first South Carolina commit from the state of Ohio since the class of 2004 when two-star offensive lineman Evan Spanogians signed to play college ball with the Gamecocks.

Of course, Gamecock great Ryan Brewer is one of the more famous Ohio products to ever sign with South Carolina.

“I wanted to start a trend for myself,” Hobbs said. “A lot of guys from my school go to UK, Cincinnati (and) Ohio State. I just felt like for me, I wanted to make a name for myself in a place where not many people could have done it. So I feel like coming to South Carolina, it was different and it’ll definitely be a name to remember. ”

He is the second pledge for the 2024 class, joining quarterback Dante Reno, who committed to USC on July 2. Hobbs said he and Reno have already been in touch and are looking forward to adding to their recruiting class.

“I’m just now getting to know him, he just texted me today,” Hobbs said. “Hopefully me and him can try to build this class up, being the first commits, trying to get some more people to join us.”