South Carolina’s season opener against Kent State is already bringing a familiar recruiting wrinkle: visitors. Gamecock247’s first pass at the list surfaced a mix of committed prospects and younger targets, with the board stretching all the way into the 2028 and 2029 classes.
Among the commitments expected in Columbia are CB Joshua Dobson of Corenlius, N.C.; DB Davion Jones of Corenlius, N.C.; DB Kelvin Millington of Bogart, Ga.; DL John Archer of Fayetteville, N.C.; OL Jaxon Elston of Oxford, Ala.; OL James Ross of Columbia, S.C.; WR DJ Huggins of Kennesaw, Ga.; WR Iveon Lewis of Richmond, Va.; and WR Jhamari Cain of Richmond, Va.
One committed name is set for a more specific trip. Gamecock247’s Alex Jones reported Monday that EDGE commitment Jayden Broadie of Rolesville, N.C. will be in town for an official visit this weekend. He’s scheduled to arrive Friday after his high school game and leave Sunday afternoon.
The visitor list also includes several younger prospects South Carolina is tracking closely. For 2028, the confirmed names are DE Cassell Cruickshank of Fayetteville, N.C.; CB Mikhie Cruickshank of Fayetteville, N.C.; DL Christian McGowan of Jacksonville, Fla.; WR Zyon Robinson of Powder Springs, Ga.; and WR Kaydan Whiteside of Asheville, N.C.
Cassell Cruickshank comes in as the No. 15 overall recruit in the country and the No. 5 defensive end in the class, according to 247Sports. His brother, Mikhie, picked up several offers in August, including one from South Carolina.
Robinson is a 4-star prospect ranked No. 40 among wide receivers, while Whiteside checks in as the No. 62-ranked athlete. McGowan is unranked for now, though he stood out when he attended South Carolina’s OL/DL Camp in June.
Another in-state prospect expected in Columbia on Saturday is 2028 safety Desiray Christian of Emerald/Greenwood, S.C. Christian already holds offers from Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, N.C. State, Ole Miss and others.
The 2029 group is smaller but still notable. WR Malachi Debnam of Greenville, S.C., and DE Kaiden Okam of Charlotte, N.C., are on the list.
Okam is the No. 69-ranked prospect in the country and the No. 2 player in North Carolina. Debnam is a 3-star with an 87 rating and played his freshman season at Easley before transferring to Greenville High.
It’s worth noting that this is not a final list.
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South Carolinas New Offense Puts LaNorris Sellers Under An Early Spotlight
South Carolina is getting ready to debut a new offense under offensive coordinator Kendal Briles in the season opener against Kent State, and the early attention is already landing on the details that will shape how smooth that transition looks. The biggest questions are straightforward enough: how quickly the Gamecocks want to play, who settles into the starting spots up front, and how the new approach changes the rhythm of an offense that will be under a fresh set of eyes from the first snap.
LaNorris Sellers sits at the center of it all, with his confidence and decision-making among the key things the staff will be watching as the system comes to life. The running back rotation is also part of the picture, and with coaches still working through preseason expectations, theres still plenty to learn about how Briles wants to piece the offense together when the season finally starts to count. [Read more 🡒]