South Carolina lands in final five for priority LB target Grayson Howard
Priority South Carolina football target and four-star linebacker Grayson “Pup” Howard has released his final five schools and as expected the Gamecocks made the cut.
The Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson class of 2023 standout announced Sunday a final group of Clemson, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas A&M.
“This journey has been nothing but a blessing. I think God everyday for giving me the opportunity to explore the world of college athletics! The best part of the process was building relationships, not only with coaches, but with staff, and recruits. I will cherish these relationships forever,” Howard said on social media. “I will be shutting down my recruitment as I will be focusing on these schools. Long live Donald Rocker Jr.”
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The 6-foot-3, 208-pound prospect has long been a priority target for defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Clayton White and the Gamecocks.
Howard, who has been a frequent visitor on the South Carolina campus, last visited the football program for the Garnet and Black spring game in April and has always spoken highly of the program.
“The first person when I checked my phone (on Sept. 1) was definitely South Carolina,” Howard told On3 last fall. “It’s all love. It’s like a family. I talk to Coach (Shane) Beamer on the regular, GAs, everyone.
Howard will be back in Columbia in June when he takes his official visit on the 24th. He has also scheduled an official visit to Florida for June 3, according to GatorsOnline’s Corey Bender.
Howard is the No. 235 overall recruit and the No. 18 linebacker in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
On3 rates him the highest in the industry, slotting him in as the No. 130 overall recruit and No. 7 linebacker in the 2023 On300 ranking.
Howard had an incredibly productive junior season, accounting for 157 tackles (95 solo), 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, six pass deflections, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
This past week, Fort Myers (Fla.) Lehigh class of 2023 four-star ATH Kelton Henderson locked in an official visit with the Gamecocks for the weekend of June 10.
On3’s Peter Warren contributed to this report.
