South Carolina defensive back target nearing commitment date

Class of 2026 defensive back Jowell Combay, a South Carolina football recruiting target, is nearing a commitment. The three-star prospect told GamecockCentral’s Chris Clark that he will be announcing his college decision on July 9th.

Combay, a Marietta, Georgia native and Kell High School product, announced a top five earlier this summer of South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Missouri, and Wisconsin. He took official visits to Columbia, “the other Columbia,” Knoxville, and Madison. He also took recent unofficials to see the Gamecocks, Bulldogs, Volunteers, and Badgers. Carolina and Tennessee seem to have separated from the pack a bit, but Combay also called Georgia his “dream offer.”

Though he plays all over the secondary at Kell, the recruiting industry views Combay as a safety. However, because he is a good athlete listed at 6-2 and 190 pounds, he physically looks like the type of player that South Carolina defensive backs coach Torrian Gray could utilize in multiple ways if he were to pick the Gamecocks. Combay previously told GamecockCentral that he is a “flex five” who could be a corner, safety, or nickel in Columbia.

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Voted the Region Athlete of the Year in Georgia’s loaded 6A-3 region, Combay is a player whose list of suitors suggests a higher ceiling than his recruiting rankings might indicate. Currently, he is the No. 596 overall player in the class according to the On3 industry ranking. He’s also No. 51 nationally among safeties and No. 65 in Georgia.

South Carolina has two defensive backs publicly committed in the class of 2026. Four-star safety J’Zavien Currence announced his pledge last fall. Then, earlier this summer, KJ Johnson, another versatile three-star defensive back, did the same.

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