Shane Beamer is back in Columbia but the first-time head coach has a tall task in front of him. There is a lot Beamer will need to do to remake this roster in his image. Outside of the current 2021 commits and hitting the transfer portal hard, here are a handful of recruits Beamer needs to call on Day 1.
*****
RELATED: Gamecocks set to name Shane Beamer next head coach
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
*****
TOP 30 QUARTERBACK COMMIT
Strangely enough, Beamer’s first call shouldn’t be to a 2021 prospect. It should be to highly-ranked 2022 quarterback commit Gunner Stockton. The Gamecocks reeled in his commitment in August mainly due to his relationship with Mike Bobo and Connor Shaw. Bobo, the offensive coordinator under Will Muschamp and interim head coach after Muschamp was let go, and Shaw, the Director of Player Development under Muschamp, have been close with Stockton and his family for years. Keeping Stockton in the fold should be a top priority for Beamer and it could be tied to keeping Bobo and/Shaw on staff.
MYRTLE BEACH DUO
The Gamecocks are light on playmakers on the outside and Beamer should be able to bring in some talented receivers with his experience at Oklahoma. Luckily for the new South Carolina coach, Myrtle Beach High School is a one-stop-shop for outstanding receivers and the Gamecocks have great relationships there with former Myrtle Beach quarterback Luke Doty on the roster. In the 2021 class, receiver JJ Jones is committed to North Carolina and 2022 receiver Adam Randall is a national prospect. Beamer will have a lot to offer these two and it won’t be easy landing either.
LEGACY TIGHT END
North Carolina landed a commitment from tight end Bryson Nesbit last week but South Carolina was the runner-up. Beamer was the tight ends and H-backs coach while at Oklahoma and the Sooners excelled there under his watch. Nesbit, a South Carolina legacy prospect, could be a big boost to the tight end room in Columbia. The Gamecocks have lacked difference-makers at tight end for a few years and Nesbit has the physical talent to create mismatches in space.
THE TOP IN-STATE PROSPECT
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, a recent Georgia commit, was really high on South Carolina heading into his decision and there were a number of people that thought the Gamecocks could have landed the impressive defensive line prospect. Flipping Ingram-Dawkins away from Georgia would be a big step towards solidifying the interior of the defense. Beamer is an offensive-minded coach but he is an excellent recruiter that could really flex his muscles by keeping Ingram-Dawkins from leaving the state.
GETTING A JUMP ON 2022 TALENT
The next recruiting cycle in South Carolina is very talented and Beamer will do himself some good by hitting the ground running with a couple of these outstanding prospects. Jeadyn Lukus, the top 2022 player in South Carolina, is a Clemson lean and the No. 3 player, Collin Sadler, is already committed to the Tigers but Jaylen Sneed and Jaleel Skinner are still uncommitted. Sneed is a super-athletic linebacker that can make plays all over the field and the Gamecocks are in desperate need of an upgrade at that position. Skinner hadn’t been very interested in South Carolina but Beamer’s track record with tight ends should catch his attention. Sneed and Skinner, both highly-ranked prospects, should be priority targets for Beamer.
