Linebacker Damani Staley, son of South Carolina great Duce Staley, commits to Gamecocks

Former South Carolina Gamecocks running back Duce Staley was a versatile player during his two years in Columbia - as comfortable with catching the ball as he was with running it. He parlayed that into a 10-year NFL career with the Eagles and Steelers, winning Super Bowl XL while in Pittsburgh.

Now, his son will get a chance to make his own legacy at the school.

Damani Staley, a outside linebacker from Ridge View High School in Columbia, has committed to play football with the Gamecocks. Staley becomes the fourth pledge from the class of 2017 and the second high school junior, joining TE Will Register. OL Dennis Daley and WR Stephen Guidry have committed to join the program as JUCO transfers.

Staley recorded 88 tackles as a junior at Ridge View, including an astonishing 21 sacks and 22 tackles for losses. Despite this, he has remained under the radar, receiving offers from East Carolina and Georgia Tech. But the Gamecocks are getting a young man that is certainly adept at stopping plays, and doing so at an extremely efficient level.