South Carolina is making early moves on the offensive line front, sending out a pair of offers to promising 2027 prospects as it looks to build out its future trenches.
On Tuesday, the Gamecocks extended an offer to Kendrayis Jones, a 6-foot-5, 289-pound interior offensive lineman from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. While Jones is still flying under the radar in terms of national rankings, college programs are clearly taking notice.
He’s already picked up offers from the likes of Kentucky, Missouri, NC State, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest, among others. That’s a solid list for a player still two years away from graduating.
Jones has plans to visit South Carolina this spring, though no date has been finalized yet. His size and early offer sheet suggest he’s a name to keep tabs on as the 2027 class starts to take shape. The Gamecocks are clearly trying to get in early on a player who could see his stock rise significantly over the next year.
Just a day later, South Carolina added another name to its growing offensive line board - this time in four-star tackle Timi Aliu out of Locust Grove High School in Georgia. At 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, Aliu brings a prototypical frame for a tackle and already carries national recognition.
He’s ranked as the No. 241 overall player in the country and the No. 26 offensive tackle, per 247Sports. The Composite rankings slot him similarly at No. 257 overall, again with that No. 26 tackle ranking.
Aliu’s offer list reads like a who’s who of SEC and national powers: Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, LSU, Nebraska, Tennessee, Virginia Tech - and now, South Carolina. That’s the kind of competition that shows just how highly regarded Aliu is among college coaches.
He’s already been to Columbia, having visited Williams-Brice Stadium this past season for the Gamecocks’ matchup against Oklahoma. That familiarity could give South Carolina a foothold as it tries to stay in the mix for one of the top linemen in the region.
Looking ahead, the Gamecocks already have a couple of key offensive line targets locked in for official visits this summer. Four-star linemen Nate Carson and Junior Saunders are both scheduled to be on campus.
Carson is an in-state product from Irmo High School, while Saunders hails from Woodberry Forest High School in Virginia. Both are high-priority prospects for South Carolina’s 2025 class.
Between those scheduled visits and the new offers going out to younger talent like Jones and Aliu, it’s clear South Carolina is taking a proactive approach to building up its offensive line depth. The staff is casting a wide net and trying to get in early with prospects who have the physical tools and upside to anchor an SEC line down the road. It’s a long game, but the foundation is being laid - and the Gamecocks are making sure they’re in the conversation with some of the best young linemen in the Southeast.