4-star QB Landon Duckworth to sign with South Carolina

South Carolina has battled to land a commitment from Jackson (Ala.) four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth on two different occasions. The Gamecocks won out for the gunslinger a second time back in July.

Since then, Duckworth has been locked in with Shane Beamer and the SEC program. Usual fall rumors circulated as South Carolina maneuvered through a disappointing campaign this fall, but Duckworth even “shut down” his recruitment not long ago.

So, when the Gamecocks hadn’t announced Duckworth as a part of the 2026 class on Wednesday, many in Columbia began to worry. In the middle of the day, LSU and new head coach Lane Kiffin re-emerged. Multiple predictions flowed in for the Tigers to flip and sign Duckworth.

“Lane Kiffin and LSU have gained momentum in this recruitment and quickly started trending for the Jackson (Ala.) High standout,” Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong wrote on Wednesday. “With no papers in hand, the Gamecocks are now doing what they can to keep Duckworth in the fold. Rivals is hearing that Duckworth is being responsive with the Gamecocks so we’ll see if Shane Beamer and company can get momentum back.”

Despite LSU’s best efforts, Duckworth is signing with the Gamecocks on Thursday, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. He is the headlining piece of the Gamecocks’ incoming class, which ranks inside the top 20 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

“I always loved South Carolina,” Duckworth told Rivals’ Chad Simmons upon committing again this summer. “Coach Beamer was always the same. We have been close for a long time. That is what kept South Carolina high on my list. They had a change of offensive coordinator, so I had to get to know coach Shula better, but South Carolina was always up there.”

“Coach Beamer never changed with me. He made me feel special. They always wanted me there and South Carolina is a place I can be successful at.”

South Carolina’s full 2026 class can be seen here.