Linebacker Jaishawn Barham prefers to do his talking on the field. The Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances star stayed away from the limelight throughout his recruitment but college coaches around the country were clamoring to get his attention. Barham didn't take many visits, due in part to the extended dead period brought on by the pandemic, but he did take four official visits this season. Penn State, South Carolina, Maryland, and Oklahoma got him and his family on campus for the red carpet treatment.
In the end, South Carolina won out because of their need for linebackers, how comfortable Barham was in that environment during his visit, and his longstanding relationship with MarShawn Lloyd dating back to when they were teammates at Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha.
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CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State | JUCO
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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WHAT THE GAMECOCKS ARE GETTING...
Barham is a big, explosive linebacker that can cover a lot of ground for his size. He has good instincts and doesn't have a problem finding the ball carrier. Barham is a physical tackler that can cause fumbles or caused receivers to drop passes. He does a nice job of disrupting running backs, tight ends, or receivers while they're in their routes. Barham can overpower linemen as they try to block him on running plays or slip by them using his athleticism. He does an excellent job blitzing and is particularly effective at getting into the backfield when he's coming off the edge.
WHY IT'S BIG FOR SOUTH CAROLINA...
Getting Barham onboard is a major win for Shane Beamer and his staff. The Gamecocks need more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball and Barham has a ton of potential. There was a consensus earlier in Barham's recruitment that he'd stay closer to home for college with Maryland or Penn State being the favorites but that didn't stop coach Beamer and his staff from pursuing the highly rated linebacker. Shane Beamer's attitude and personality won over Barham's family and that has to be encouraging for South Carolina fans in the long run.
