South Carolina Lands Five-Star OL Darius Gray, Moves Up in 2026 Recruiting Rankings
South Carolina football picked up a massive recruiting win on Friday, securing a commitment from five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray, the nation’s No. 1 interior offensive lineman.
Gray chose the Gamecocks over powerhouse programs including LSU, Tennessee, Clemson, and Ohio State, along with offers from nearly every major contender in the country. His decision gives South Carolina another cornerstone piece for the 2026 recruiting class.
The commitment comes just days after the Gamecocks lost four-star offensive tackle Kamari Blair, who flipped to Tennessee. Still, with Gray now joining the fold alongside four-star guard Zyon Guiles, Shane Beamer’s staff boasts both of Rivals’ top two interior offensive linemen in the class.
Head coach Shane Beamer and his staff now have 15 total pledges in the 2026 class. Prior to Gray’s announcement, the Gamecocks ranked No. 17 nationally in the Rivals Industry Team Rankings. His addition bumped USC up to No. 16 overall, with 10 four-star or five-star prospects committed.
Despite having fewer total commitments (15) than many SEC rivals ahead of them in the standings, the Gamecocks rank No. 11 nationally in average player rating. Tennessee, for instance, sits higher overall in class ranking but has a lower average player rating.
This continues a strong run of recruiting success for South Carolina, which signed the No. 18 class nationally in 2025 — the program’s third straight top-20 finish.
Key 2026 South Carolina Commitments (Rivals Industry Rankings)
- OL Darius Gray
- No. 31 overall
- No. 1 interior OL nationally
- Five-star, Virginia
- One of the most athletic offensive linemen in the country
- DT Aiden Harris
- No. 74 overall
- No. 5 DL nationally
- Four-star, North Carolina
- QB Landon Duckworth
- No. 85 overall
- No. 8 QB nationally
- Four-star, Alabama
- Dual-threat, top-10 QB across all major services
- S J’Zavien Currence
- No. 90 overall
- No. 8 safety nationally
- Four-star, South Carolina
- OL Zyon Guiles
- No. 173 overall
- No. 12 interior OL nationally
- Four-star, South Carolina
- Rated No. 1 interior OL in Rivals’ individual rankings
- WR Sequel Patterson
- No. 229 overall
- Four-star, South Carolina
- Reclassified from 2027
- TE Jamel Howse – No. 280 overall, Four-star, South Carolina
- DT Noah Clark – No. 315 overall, Four-star, North Carolina
- EDGE/LB Andrew Harris – No. 351 overall, Four-star, North Carolina
- RB Amari Thomas – No. 437 overall, Three-star, Florida (FSU flip)
- DB KJ Johnson – No. 470 overall, Three-star, Alabama
- LB Keenan Britt – No. 476 overall, Three-star, Alabama
- CB Kosci Barnes – No. 585 overall, Three-star, North Carolina
- ATH/DB Triston Lewis – No. 739 overall, Three-star, South Carolina
- OL Anthony Baxter – No. 1240 overall, Three-star, South Carolina
With Gray now at the top of the class, South Carolina has established one of the SEC’s most efficient recruiting hauls in 2026 — stacking elite talent with fewer commitments than most rivals. And with several more top targets set to announce soon, the Gamecocks could climb even higher.
