Mixed Feelings as South Carolina Football Target, Son of NFL lineman, Announces College Decision

South Carolina’s Offensive Line Recruiting Outlook

Despite a tough 2023 season, the South Carolina football coaching staff has made significant strides in recruiting talent for the offensive line. The Gamecocks have focused on “stacking classes” in this position, aiming to turn a perceived weakness into a strength.

In the 2025 recruiting cycle, South Carolina has been targeting several top offensive line prospects as they work to build a strong roster. On Thursday evening, Isaac “Spike” Sowells, a highly regarded but underrated prospect, made his college commitment public. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, Sowells chose to commit to NC State over South Carolina and Kentucky.

Sowells is among several offensive line targets who were expected to make their commitments this summer. Currently, the only offensive lineman committed to South Carolina for the 2025 class is 4-star Gaffney native Shed Sarratt, with class of 2026 interior lineman Anthony Baxter also committed. The Gamecocks are still in the mix for other 2025 linemen such as Cortez Smith, Juan Gaston, and Jaylen Gilchrist, but only Gilchrist seems to be seriously considering South Carolina at this point.

Missing out on Sowells is a setback, given his potential as a center or guard and his NFL pedigree (his father played six years with the Browns, Bengals, and Lions). However, the Gamecocks have several young offensive linemen with at least three years of eligibility remaining for the 2025 season. Securing a commitment from Gilchrist, who will announce on August 3rd, would help alleviate concerns about their offensive line haul for this cycle.

With at least four offensive linemen graduating and potentially a fifth requiring a petition for an additional year, there will be scholarships available for offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley to use in the transfer portal.