Gamecocks Win Big: 4-Star QB Landon Duckworth Recommits to South Carolina
South Carolina has landed its quarterback of the future — again. Four-star prospect Landon Duckworth, one of the Gamecocks’ top priorities in the 2026 recruiting cycle, officially announced his commitment to South Carolina on Friday evening.
The standout from Jackson, Alabama, chose the Gamecocks over Auburn, wrapping up one of the most intense SEC recruiting battles of the offseason. Duckworth held a lengthy offer list featuring national powers such as Georgia, Oregon, Texas A&M, Florida, North Carolina, and Arkansas. After narrowing his options, he focused on South Carolina and Auburn, taking both official and unofficial visits to each program before making his final decision.
Rated as the No. 66 overall prospect and the No. 6 quarterback nationally according to the On3 Industry Rankings, Duckworth is no stranger to South Carolina. He originally committed to the Gamecocks early in his recruitment but decommitted last summer. Still, the relationship never wavered — especially after the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who made Duckworth a top priority from day one.
“Shula made sure to make the young QB a priority since stepping into his role as OC, and now that persistence and patience has paid off for the Gamecocks.”
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound signal caller is coming off a stellar junior campaign at Jackson High School, where he threw for 3,109 yards and 34 touchdowns, while also rushing for 631 yards and 12 scores. Known for his strong arm and fierce competitive spirit, Duckworth is viewed as an ideal fit for the SEC’s high-level competition.
With his re-commitment, South Carolina locks in a key building block for its 2026 class — and this time, the program is hoping the decision sticks for good.
