The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from South Carolina using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from South Carolina set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
You may also like: Valentine's Day gifting trends in South Carolina, according to Instacart data
Andrew Angelov // Shutterstock
1 / 20#19 (tie). Ryan Campbell (RB)
- National rank: #1,013 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #63
- College: not committed
- Offers: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Colorado State, East Carolina, Howard
- High school: Ashley Ridge (Summerville, SC)
aspen rock // Shutterstock
2 / 20#19 (tie). Scottland Dover (IOL)
- National rank: #1,013 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #82
- College: Appalachian State
- Offers: Appalachian State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Coastal Carolina, East Tennessee State
- High school: Gaffney (Gaffney, SC)
Ron Alvey // Shutterstock
3 / 20#17 (tie). Jaemin Pinckney (Edge)
- National rank: #962 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #89
- College: USF
- Offers: USF, Florida State, West Virginia, East Carolina, Appalachian State
- High school: Woodland (Dorchester, SC)
Andrew Angelov // Shutterstock
4 / 20#17 (tie). Somad Eaddy (ATH)
- National rank: #962 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #71
- College: Wake Forest
- Offers: Wake Forest, Appalachian State, Boston College, Ball State, East Carolina
- High school: Riverside (Greer, SC)
Andy Dean Photography // Shutterstock
5 / 20#16. Jude Hall (WR)
- National rank: #848 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #116
- College: Memphis
- Offers: Memphis, Boston College, Central Michigan, Charlotte, Cincinnati
- High school: Christ Church Episcopal School (Greenville, SC)
You may also like: Coldest Octobers in South Carolina since 1895
David Lee // Shutterstock
6 / 20#15. Desmond Green (IOL)
- National rank: #778 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #60
- College: Florida
- Offers: Florida, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia, Virginia Tech
- High school: Timberland (St. Stephen, SC)
Bobby Stevens Photo // Shutterstock
7 / 20#14. Triston Lewis (ATH)
- National rank: #724 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #54
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Gardner-Webb
- High school: Greenwood (Greenwood, SC)
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock
8 / 20#13. Tilden Riley (TE)
- National rank: #662 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #35
- College: Vanderbilt
- Offers: Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Appalachian State, Duke
- High school: Orangeburg Preparatory School (Orangeburg, SC)
Guzel Studio // Shutterstock
9 / 20#11 (tie). Jordyn Best (CB)
- National rank: #629 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #51
- College: NC State
- Offers: NC State, Boston College, Appalachian State, Ball State, Campbell
- High school: Ridge View (Columbia, SC)
Ron Alvey // Shutterstock
10 / 20#11 (tie). Amiri Acker (WR)
- National rank: #629 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #94
- College: not committed
- Offers: NC State, Liberty, Appalachian State, Boston College, Charleston Southern
- High school: Crescent (Iva, SC)
You may also like: Hottest Januarys in South Carolina since 1895
David Lee // Shutterstock
11 / 20#10. Franklin Whitley (DL)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #69
- College: Florida State
- Offers: Florida State, Tennessee, Clemson, South Carolina, Alabama
- High school: Greenville (Greenville, SC)
kuzmaphoto // Shutterstock
12 / 20#9. Jayvon Gilmore (QB)
- National rank: #462 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #31
- College: not committed
- Offers: Arkansas, Arizona, Boston College, Charlotte, East Carolina
- High school: Gaffney (Gaffney, SC)
Pell Studio // Shutterstock
13 / 20#8. Tamarion Watkins (S)
- National rank: #415 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #33
- College: Texas A&M
- Offers: Texas A&M, South Carolina, Georgia, Miami, Alabama
- High school: Northwestern (Rock Hill, SC)
WoodysPhotos // Shutterstock
14 / 20#7. Carnell Warren (WR)
- National rank: #306 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #47
- College: North Carolina
- Offers: North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Appalachian State, Arizona, Arizona State
- High school: Bluffton (Bluffton, SC)
zoff // Shutterstock
15 / 20#6. Jamel Howse (TE)
- National rank: #281 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #13
- College: not committed
- Offers: South Carolina, Appalachian State, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Liberty
- High school: Newberry (Newberry, SC)
You may also like: Most popular diamond shapes in the South
Stuart Monk // Shutterstock
16 / 20#5. Sequel Patterson (ATH)
- National rank: #231 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #13
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Appalachian State, Arkansas, Boston College, Charlotte
- High school: Indian Land (Fort Mill, SC)
Hannah Leigh Barnes // Shutterstock
17 / 20#4. Zyon Guiles (IOL)
- National rank: #186 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #9
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson
- High school: Carvers Bay (Hemingway, SC)
MaverickZ85 // Shutterstock
18 / 20#3. Julian Walker (Edge)
- National rank: #138 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #16
- College: Michigan
- Offers: Michigan, South Carolina, NC State, North Carolina, Appalachian State
- High school: Dutch Fork (Irmo, SC)
Fabricio Barili // Shutterstock
19 / 20#2. J'Zavien Currence (S)
- National rank: #84 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #9
- College: South Carolina
- Offers: South Carolina, Florida State, Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas
- High school: South Pointe (Rock Hill, SC)
HY-DP // Shutterstock
20 / 20#1. Kentavion Anderson (S)
- National rank: #82 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #8
- College: Clemson
- Offers: Clemson, Appalachian State, Boston College, East Carolina, Florida
- High school: Dorman (Roebuck, SC)
You may also like: Record snowfalls in South Carolina history
