LIVE REPORT: Shane Beamer’s Recruiting Trail Comes Full Circle with Julian Walker
When South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer hired Jamil Walker as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in June 2023, he likely didn’t anticipate that two years later, he’d be recruiting Walker’s son, Julian Walker, for the Gamecocks’ 2026 class.
Now standing at 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Julian Walker has emerged as a dominant defensive end at Dutch Fork High School. He played a crucial role in helping the Silver Foxes clinch another state championship, shining brightest in the playoffs.
Beamer extended an offer to Walker during the season, and since then, the talented edge rusher has drawn interest from N.C. State, Missouri, North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Coastal Carolina, and Appalachian State.
Despite his deep ties to South Carolina, Walker insists that he’s keeping an open mind when it comes to his recruitment.
“Just because I’m in such an early state of my recruiting, there’s not much of a favorite yet, but you can definitely feel the love from all the schools that came to talk to me,” Walker said. “I’m definitely going to be open-minded to my recruitment. Everybody has a fair chance to come and talk to me.
“But Beamer and the staff, Coach (Travian) Robertson, they show a lot of love to me. They communicate with me. Since I’ve been here, they’ve shown a lot of love, and I really appreciate that from them. It’s great over there.”
Having insider access to the Gamecocks’ program, Walker has attended numerous games and recruiting events, witnessing firsthand what Beamer and his staff have been building.
“Beamer is building a great culture over there,” Walker observed. “Being able to see them in the weight room and meetings, every time I walk in the building there’s lots of love from everybody in there. He’s building a great team at South Carolina. It’s been a pleasure to see that growth from the first year I was here to the second year.”
While Jamil Walker could easily sway his son’s decision, Julian says his father is letting him make the choice on his own.
“He’s handling it really well,” Walker shared. “He’s really letting me go through the process. He’s there for me as a parent. It’s a great family process. He’s letting me be open-minded about what schools I like. He’s really playing the parent role in this recruiting, and I appreciate that we have the ability to do that.”
Recruiters from USC, Clemson, Georgia, Missouri, and N.C. State have already visited Dutch Fork in January to check in on Walker, giving him a clearer picture of how programs envision him at the collegiate level.
“Usually, coaches talk to me about what front they play, and they tell me that they could see me playing that three-technique in a pass rush situation while also playing an edge,” Walker explained. “Everybody is open-minded to me playing both inside and outside. Usually when I talk to coaches, they are like, ‘We like the relentlessness you play with, the passion you play with, the physicality and the way you move.’”
Though Walker didn’t take any visits in January, he’s gearing up for a busy spring, attending junior days and practices. He has yet to finalize his official visits but has already highlighted South Carolina, N.C. State, Missouri, Syracuse, and North Carolina as priority destinations.
Stay tuned as Julian Walker’s recruitment heats up heading into his senior season!
