South Carolina Football Recruiting 2013 Updates

South Carolina picked up an elite recruiting class to go along with a team that finished the year No. 8 in the country.

The Gamecocks find themselves in the top 20 of recruiting rankings or right outside: Rivals has them at No. 16, ESPN at No. 17, 247 at No. 19, and last in Scout at No. 21. For most, that would be pretty good news. But in the SEC, that’s not going to cut it: as Bud Elliott wrote, its just a different game trying to compete in the toughest conference in the country - and the best at recruiting. Depending on who you ask, South Carolina’s conference has three of the top five classes and six of the top ten. That’s a tough gauntlet to run.

They’ll be looking to help sway a pretty prominent uncommitted prospect. Keith Bryant is a consensus four-star defensive tackle from Delray Beach, Fla., where he attended Atlantic High. Bryant recently visited Miami last week and Florida State the week before, but Bryant definitely has South Carolina on his short list.

Bud Elliott’s take:

Na’Ty Rodgers surprised nobody when he announced his commitment Monday, making it official that he would pledge to the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Rodgers, a consensus four-star offensive tackle recruit, Tweeted a picture of himself in South Carolina gear:

South Carolina is expecting to welcome a nice group of official visitors this weekend as it tries to wrap up its 2013 recruiting class.

The Gamecocks are expected visits from committed recruits including linebacker Larenz Bryant, a consensus four-star recruit from Charlotte (N.C.) Zebulon B. Vance High School, defensive tackle Kelsey Griffin, a consensus four-star recruit from Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek High School, running back David Williams, a consensus four-star recruit from Philadelphia (Pa.) Imhotep Institute Charter, defensive end Devin Washington, a consensus three-star recruit from Orlando (Fla.) Jones High School, center Bryce King, a consensus three-star recruit from Dillon (S.C.) Dillon High School, athlete Pharoh Cooper, a consensus three-star recruit from Havelock (N.C.) Havelock High School, and defensive end David Johnson, a consensus three-star recruit from Lithonia (Ga.) Lithonia High School.

Griffin had previously been committed to the Georgia Bulldogs, but hours later it came out that he was not really committed. The implication was that Georgia was not ready to accept his commitment, perhaps due to numbers. Schools are not permitted to comment on recruits.

In Griffin, South Carolina is getting a 6’2, 282-pound tackle with excellent quickness. He is a consensus four-star recruit with many SEC offers, including Auburn and Tennessee, plus Florida State.

The commitment was expected according to SB Nation’s Garnet And Black Attack.

Rolin is a consensus four-star recruit. He’s tough, instinctive, athletic, quick, strong, possesses good length, etc. There’s a reason he holds offers from Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Washington and West Virginia.