The South Carolina Gamecocks are raiding the top of North Carolina’s 2027 high school football recruiting class.
Head coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks landed their fourth top-15 prospect from the Old North State on July 4 when Rolesville edge rusher Jayden Broadie announced his commitment. South Carolina now has commitments from four of North Carolina’s top 15 players — more than any other out-of-state program.
Broadie is ranked No. 12 by 247Sports and the No. 32 edge rusher nationally. He is also considered a top-15 prospect in North Carolina by Rivals, ESPN and the NC Football News Consensus Rankings.
100% locked in go gamecocks 🐓 @CoachSBeamer @DBarnes_18 @kev_red52 @TrenchesElite @kev_red52 @RamsFootballNC @Trencheselite @adamgorney @clintbrew247 @TomLoy247 @samspiegs@AnnaH247 @ChadSimmons_ @CharlesPower @SWiltfong_@CalebSisk_ pic.twitter.com/0pxAoUW6kQ — Jayden Broadie (@sackedbyJB) July 4, 2026
South Carolina separating itself from the field
No out-of-state program has recruited North Carolina more successfully than South Carolina so far during the 2027 cycle.
The Gamecocks now hold commitments from Hough cornerback Joshua Dobson (No. 1 in the NC Football News Consensus Rankings), Hough safety Davion Jones (No. 6), Seventy-First defensive lineman John Archer (No. 7) and Broadie (No. 11).
Only South Carolina and James Madison have more than two commitments from North Carolina’s nationally ranked prospects among out-of-state schools. JMU Has three. Among in-state programs, East Carolina leads with eight commitments from the consensus rankings, followed by NC State (five), Duke (four) and Wake Forest (four).
South Carolina’s 2027 recruiting class currently ranks No. 28 nationally according to 247Sports.
Not a one-year phenomenon
Beamer’s success in North Carolina didn’t begin with the Class of 2027.
South Carolina signed four of North Carolina’s top 25 prospects in the 2026 cycle, highlighted by Weddington defensive lineman Aiden Harris, Jordan defensive lineman Noah Clark, Grimsley cornerback Kosci Barnes and Weddington linebacker Andrew Harris.
The Gamecocks also landed three top-20 North Carolina prospects in the 2025 class, including Havelock linebacker Donovan Darden, the state’s No. 4-ranked player, along with wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. and Vance County standout Taeshawn Alston.
The early returns from 2027, however, may represent Beamer’s strongest recruiting haul in the state yet.
NC 2027 Prospects Committed to South Carolina
Jayden Broadie
The 6-foot-2½, 225-pound edge rusher became South Carolina’s fourth North Carolina commitment after camping in Columbia in June and earning an offer shortly afterward. Broadie finished his junior season with 97 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss and six sacks while helping Rolesville remain among the state’s top programs. He picked the Gamecocks over finalists that included Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech after also receiving offers from Auburn, Georgia, Missouri and several in-state schools.
Joshua Dobson
The jewel of South Carolina’s class is Dobson, Rivals’ No. 1 player in North Carolina and one of the nation’s premier cornerbacks. After transferring from Catawba Ridge (S.C.) to Hough for his senior season, Dobson chose the Gamecocks over finalists that included Auburn, Michigan, Texas A&M and LSU. His commitment vaulted South Carolina’s class nationally and gave Beamer one of the country’s highest-rated defensive backs.
Davion Jones
Jones announced his decision one day after Dobson, giving South Carolina back-to-back commitments from North Carolina’s top defensive backs. The versatile defensive back starred at West Charlotte before transferring to Hough for his senior season. He intercepted 11 passes over the past two seasons and also contributed on offense and special teams.
John Archer
Archer started South Carolina’s North Carolina run back in April. The 315-pound defensive tackle has produced eye-popping numbers during his first three varsity seasons, totaling more than 200 tackles and 77 tackles-for-loss while helping Seventy-First become one of the state’s premier programs. His combination of size and production made him one of the nation’s most coveted interior defensive linemen.
What it means
North Carolina college programs have long had to battle to keep the state’s best high school prospects home. South Carolina and Clemson both have had success in the Old North State through the years, but the Gamecocks have gained the upper hand recently (Clemson has yet to earn a 2027 commitment in North Carolina).
With commitments from four of the state’s top 15 prospects before the start of the high school season, the Gamecocks have positioned themselves alongside East Carolina, NC State, Duke and Wake Forest as one of the biggest winners in North Carolina recruiting this cycle, maybe the biggest.
Where’s Home? Follow North Carolina 2027 Recruiting
NC Football News is tracking Class of 2027 recruiting from both sides of the state’s football pipeline:
- North Carolina high school commitments: See where in-state high school players have committed.
- North Carolina college commitment tracker: See which players are joining North Carolina’s FBS and FCS programs
- Latest Recruiting News & Updates: Explore our news feed for NC recruiting coverage and more.
