​COLUMBIA — South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer is kicking off the holiday weekend with a four-star pledge from a top high school recruit. Nate Carson, an offensive tackle, chose the Gamecocks over Clemson, Georgia and Colorado, announcing his decision on July 3. Carson hails from Irmo High School in Columbia and sits at No. 6 in the state for the Class of 2027, while ranking No. 23 nationally at his position and No. 269 overall in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.
This marks the third straight day Beamer has landed a four-star or higher signee. Five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson committed on July 1, Beamer’s top-ranked recruit in three years. Dobson’s high school teammate, four-star safety Davion Jones, followed with his commitment a day later. Before Dobson’s pledge, South Carolina stood 57th nationally, but his decision pushed the Gamecocks up to 47th. In the SEC, the Gamecocks rose from last to 14th, ahead of Alabama and Mississippi State.
Carson becomes the 16th commitment in the 2027 class and the fifth on the offensive line. He visited Columbia officially on June 19, the final visit among the four finalists. He previously visited Clemson on May 29, Georgia on June 5, and Colorado on June 12. Beamer enters Year 6 with the program, following his least successful season at 4-8. He dismissed offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley in early October and brought in Randy Clements from TCU to replace him.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X @Lulukesin and Bluesky @bylulukesin.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: 4-star Nate Carson picks South Carolina football over Clemson, Georgia.