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Scholarship traits at the Group of 5 level, with the tools to earn Power 4 looks as you develop.

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The Oklahoma game didn't go the way anyone in Garnet and Black wanted, but it was an eventful day for South Carolina's freshmen.  Quarterback Cutter

south carolina gamecocks qb cutter woods

GamecockCentral Football

GamecockCentral

Redshirt tracker: Eventful day for freshmen as Cutter Woods debuts

After four games, freshman linebacker Donovan Darden has grown into a consistent special teams player for South Carolina.   Darden is a player who

54757382721_5a693b17b9_o

South Carolina newcomer flying under radar on special teams

With the spring semester underway, most top 2025 recruits have enrolled early and are now participating in winter workouts and preparing for college

early enrollee college football standouts

On3 Football

True Freshmen Report: Early intel on 2025 recruits already turning heads

The book on the 2025 recruiting class can officially be closed on Wednesday. Ahead of February's National Signing Day, On3 has updated its player

Top EDGEs on300 AFI

Rivals Football Recruiting

Rivals

Top 10 edge rushers in the final 2025 On300 rankings

Call it the Havelock Way.  Much like Pharoh Cooper's recruitment a decade ago, Donovan Darden started the recruiting process as a little-known

South Carolina LB commitment Donovan Darden on campus in Columbia (Photo: CJ Driggers | GamecockCentral.com)

GamecockCentral Football Recruiting

Why Donovan Darden is the top prospect in South Carolina's class according to On3

Donovan Darden

Havelock

South Carolina Gamecocks

Edge

NC State

Washington

Tampa Bay

Donovan Darden's size, athleticism, and ascendant trajectory late in his high school career remind us of Joe Tryon. Tryon is a bit larger at the same stage and played both ways, while Darden flipped to defense for his senior season.

Not enough on film yet to project a level. Add more game film and verified measurables to unlock a full projection.

Undetermined

A developmental projection today — keep adding film, measurables, and reps, and your evaluation grows with your game.

D-III / Developmental

Scholarship-caliber traits for Division II and NAIA programs, with room to climb through continued development.

Scholarship traits at the FCS level, with room to climb through continued development and film.

Starter-caliber traits for a Power 4 program (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC). Squarely on major-conference radars.

Power 4 Prospect

Blue-chip traits — a high-priority Power 4 target with the tools to contribute early at the highest level.

Blue Chip

The top of the scale — national-caliber talent that every major program pursues, with a clear NFL trajectory.

Elite / Top 100

Fast-rising EDGE prospect with the tools to develop into a top talent at the position. Measured at around 6-foot-4, 225 pounds with 34.5-inch arms and 9.5-inch hands before his senior season. Began his career as a quarterback/athlete before blossoming into a front-seven defender and pass rusher as a senior. Showed marked improvement in his first full year of defense as a senior, finishing with 24 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and 29 hurries in 14 games. Lines up as a pass rusher from 3-point and 2-point stances. Loose mover with notable ankle flexion. Functional athlete who easily changes direction and flashes short area burst. Flexibility allows for high-level bend around the edge. Can beat offensive tackles with his speed and ability to dip. Strong run defender, using his length to corral ball carriers. Makes some eye-popping plays in backside pursuit. Shows his play speed and effort level in running ball-carriers down from behind over 50 yards downfield. Looked like the clear top prospect at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas following his senior season. Recruited as a linebacker, but the highest upside - both physically and skill-wise appears to be as a pass-rusher. Frame should easily be able to hold 250+ pounds. Will need to continue developing technique, but the level of play in his lone year of defensive football points to a very high upside. If he grows into a true EDGE, has the upside to be an early NFL Draft pick. 

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Year	Team	GP	TOT	SOLO	AST
2026	SC	1	1	0	1
2025	SC	1	1	1	0
Career		2	2	1	1

Donovan Darden

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