Just one day after wrapping up his official visit to South Carolina, Carsyn Baker, a four-star running back from Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn (Ga.), has officially backed off his commitment to Florida, he told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Monday night.
Baker, who was once heavily leaning toward South Carolina earlier in his recruitment and had been committed to Florida for months, reopened his process after the Gators fired head coach Billy Napier. That move prompted him to re-evaluate his options and explore other opportunities.
In recent weeks, the talented back made stops at North Carolina and Kentucky before finishing his visit schedule with an official trip to South Carolina over the weekend—his final visit before National Signing Day.
Baker confirmed to GamecockCentral that his decision will come soon, saying he plans to make a final call on Wednesday morning.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound back is being targeted by the Gamecocks as a key piece of their future, with running backs coach Marquel Blackwell leading South Carolina’s recruiting efforts.
According to the Rivals Industry Ranking—which blends evaluations from all major recruiting outlets—Baker ranks as the No. 198 overall player, the No. 16 running back in the 2026 class, and the No. 24 prospect in Georgia.
“I sign on Wednesday morning,” Baker said. “It’s going to come down to everything, the next couple of days I’m going to talk to my family and see what’s the best place and best fit for me. I think I’ll know Tuesday when I wake up and then Wednesday morning when I sign those papers, I’ll know exactly where I’m going.”
If Baker ultimately picks South Carolina, he would become the sole commit in the Gamecocks’ 2026 class, following Amari Thomas’ flip to Florida State last month. As it stands, South Carolina’s 14-man recruiting class is ranked No. 19 nationally.
National Signing Day arrives this Wednesday, and all eyes will be on Baker as he prepares to announce the next step in his football future.
