South Carolina just landed its third blue-chip recruit in three days, and this one might sting the most for Clemson and Georgia.
Nate Carson, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive lineman from Irmo High School in Columbia, committed to the Gamecocks on Friday evening. He picked Shane Beamer’s program over Georgia, Clemson, Colorado, and a handful of other power conference offers. The timing is notable: South Carolina had already secured five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson on Wednesday and four-star safety Davion Jones on Thursday. Carson makes it three straight days with a top-tier add.
The local kid who kept coming back
Carson visited South Carolina’s campus more than 15 times during his recruitment. That kind of familiarity matters. His relationship with Beamer, recruiting director Sam Serbay, and the coaching staff — including new offensive line coach Randy Clements and assistant Jason Smith — was the deciding factor. He’d seen enough to know Columbia was home.
Ranked No. 269 nationally by the 247Sports Composite, Carson is the No. 6 prospect in South Carolina and the No. 23 offensive tackle in the country. Rivals has him even higher: No. 221 overall, the No. 14 interior offensive lineman in the nation, and the No. 5 player in the state. 247Sports gives him a 90 four-star rating and ranks him No. 184 nationally.
A recruitment that flipped like a bad signal
Carson’s recruitment had more swings than a golf tournament. Tennessee was the early leader. Alabama jumped in last year. Georgia made a serious push this spring. Then Clemson looked like the favorite after his official visit in May. Georgia seemed to take the lead again after Carson visited Athens. But South Carolina hosted him on his final official visit over the June 19 weekend and never let go.
The Gamecocks see Carson as a versatile lineman who can play multiple spots. Clements and Smith think he’s an SEC tackle. Rivals projects him inside. Either way, he’s got the base, the hand placement, and the pass protection technique to start for years in the SEC.
Carson is the 16th commitment in South Carolina’s 2027 class and the fifth offensive lineman. That class has climbed from No. 57 to No. 47 nationally after Dobson’s commitment and now sits 14th in the SEC. For a program trying to keep elite in-state talent at home, this week was a statement.
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