June has been a fecund month in the recruiting department for South Carolina. All in all, four prospects have committed to South Carolina: 2014 four star TE Kevin Crosby, 2015 four star DE Arden Key, 2014 four star CB Wesley Green, and as of only a few hours ago, 2014 three star CB Darin Smalls.
Smalls, who was attending his team's 7-on-7 camp in Columbia, has been a longtime Gamecock lean, and it was expected that he may give the nod this weekend. Despite his three star rating, Smalls is a big-bodied corner who Gamecock Central calls, "one of the best prospects in the Southeast at [his] position". Whether that translates to anything will take a few years to discover, but for now, here he is returning a punt for a touchdown:
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We can assure Darin that our media department will almost certainly spell his name correctly on any highlight reels that might result from his time in Columbia. Smalls held offers from a number of major programs, including Clemson, Florida State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech.
Receiving commitments from Green and Smalls is big for Carolina, which might lose both 2013 starters (Jimmy Legree's a senior and Vic Hampton will possibly/probably enter the draft.) This leaves four cornerbacks on the roster, which underscores the necessity of adding some depth in 2014. The Gamecocks will continue to recruit the position—keep an eye out for Al Harris Jr. The 3-star CB prospect's 247 Crystal Ball currently reads 100% Gamecocks. Harris' dad had a long and successful NFL career, mostly with the Packers—you'll remember him as the DB with the crazy long dreadlocks.
We're still 228 days away from National Signing day, but as of today the Gamecocks sport the nation's 37th-best recruiting class according the 247Sports Composite rankings.