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*** South Carolina currently has a pair of commitments from interior defensive linemen, with Shane Beamer looking to add a couple more before the 2022 cycle is over.
In the latest edition of The Insider Report, we'll take a closer look at where things stand with remaining candidates.
*** Jamaal Whyce was the first to drop, with the Miami product making his pledge on Father's Day. That was not long after an unofficial visit to Columbia, where he connected with defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey and other members of the staff.
It was then Felix Hixon's turn, as the Georgia native committed silently to Beamer with one more official visit left on his summer docket. He went public with that choice on July 5, giving South Carolina its current pair.
*** A lot of attention has been given on social media and The Insiders Forum to four-star Nick James, an Alabama native who plays at IMG Academy in Florida.
James was among South Carolina's official visitors last month, and his offer list and ranking have made him one that Gamecock fans have paid plenty of attention to along the way.
The short version is that we simply aren't tracking James as heavily as we were in the month of June. He's not a likely addition to the Gamecocks' 2022 class.
*** One prospect with which there is still heavy interest is Florida's Jamari Lyons, who made an unofficial visit to South Carolina in June and is slated to return for an official the weekend of the Kentucky game.
Lyons' mother is expected to join him for that follow-up visit, and the aforementioned Lindsey has done quality work in getting South Carolina firmly in the mix. The chief competition here is Florida, and the Gators are indeed a big factor. Lyons has been to Gainesville, has a good relationship with Florida lineman Gervon Dexter, and it's the in-state program. Florida's been named the outright leader at times, or even with South Carolina (and Indiana, which has also done a good job with Lyons).
South Carolina is recruiting Lyons hard and looking to go the distance with him.
*** Key to determining how things finish out in this class at DT - aside from whether or not South Carolina can pull Lyons out of Florida, of course, is the issue of slot numbers and timing. There are several offered candidates still on the board with different decision timelines and prioritizations. Keep that in mind as things unfold.
*** A pair of in-state prospects picked up offers from the staff after their camp performances with the staff this summer, adding another layer.
Sumter's Davin Jackson, who unfortunately tore his ACL recently and will miss his senior season, was one. Behind the scenes, there was a thought of commitment watch for Jackson right after he picked up the offer in June. It did not happen.
It seems more likely for Jackson to ultimately commit to and sign with another program at this point - App State, NC State, or Syracuse, for example.
The Gamecocks also unearthed a potential diamond in the rough from the Lowcountry in Fort Dorchester's Demetrius Watson. The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder is favoring the Gamecocks and is a prospect we are still monitoring throughout this month.
*** Delaware's Tomiwa Durojaiye took an official visit to Columbia last month, and the three-star is a teammate of current QB commitment Braden Davis.
Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia join South Carolina in his final five, the group of programs he will pick from on his commitment date of August 7.
There may be a better sense of where things stand on all sides as that date moves closer.
*** One prospect that's firmly in South Carolina's crosshairs - and ours for coverage purposes - is Virginia's D'Andre Martin.
He's one of the more interesting prospects on the entire 2022 board because of his background; Martin was a wide receiver/tight end for Durham (North Carolina) Hillside all the way through his junior season prior to making the transition to the defensive line and transferring to Life Christian Academy in Virginia.
He's only played defense for a period of several months overall, and has put on about 40 pounds during that span.
Martin camped with the staff on one of the last days - June 24 - and summarily picked up an offer after performing well in drills and one-on-ones.
He's planning on releasing a final 2 at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, and South Carolina's expected to make that narrow cut. We can tell subscribers that, as soon as the offer was picked up, there were some immediate positive indications as to South Carolina's chances.
Also, Martin's planning on being at South Carolina's prospect cookout on July 31 for what we here could end up being a multi-day stay in Columbia leading up to the event.
*** Any follow-up questions or something I didn't address that you'd like me to address? Let me know.
*** Today's Insider Report is brought to you by Cornerstone Financial Management. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Good Life Advisors, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Cornerstone Financial Management and Good Life Advisors, LLC are separate entities from LPL Financial.
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