South Carolina kept its recent recruiting surge rolling July 3, landing a commitment from four-star offensive tackle Nate Carson over Clemson, Georgia and Colorado.
Carson, who plays at Irmo High School in Columbia, is ranked No. 6 in the state for the Class of 2027 by the 247Sports Composite. He comes in at No. 23 nationally among offensive tackles and No. 269 overall.
His pledge gives Shane Beamer another major win in a stretch that has seen the Gamecocks stack elite commitments. Carson became the third straight day South Carolina added a four-star or better prospect. Five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson, Beamer’s highest-ranked recruit in three years, committed July 1, and his high school teammate Davion Jones, a four-star safety, followed on July 2.
The momentum has also changed South Carolina’s standing in the national team rankings. Before Dobson announced, the Gamecocks were sitting at No.
- His commitment pushed them to No.
- They were last in the SEC at the time, but now sit 14th in the league, ahead of Alabama and Mississippi State.
Carson is the 16th commitment in South Carolina’s 2027 class and the fifth offensive lineman. He took his official visit to Columbia on June 19, the last of his four finalist stops. Before that, he visited Clemson on May 29, Georgia on June 5 and Colorado on June 12.
Beamer is entering Year 6 with the program after a 4-8 season, his worst record at South Carolina. He moved on from offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley in early October and brought in Randy Clements from TCU as his replacement.
In Other News...
Gamecocks Fans Suddenly Have A Bigger Arena Question To Face
During the introduction of new baseball coach Kevin Schnall, South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati also took a moment to address a topic that matters to anyone who has spent time inside Colonial Life Arena. The building has been a centerpiece for Gamecocks basketball and other major events for years, and Donati made clear the university is thinking about its long-term future even as the day-to-day focus remains elsewhere.
For now, though, the bigger priority is finishing the Williams-Brice Stadium refurbishment before the school turns to other major facility work. Any significant arena project is still years down the road and will depend on funding and planning, which leaves plenty of questions still hanging over what comes next for one of the most important venues on campus. [Read more 🡒]