Four-star tight end planning South Carolina gameday visit

South Carolina has landed some really talented tight ends in recent recruiting classes. Four-star prospects Michael Smith (2024) and Jamel Howse (2026) headline the list, and position coach Shawn Elliott has his eye set on continuing the trend of adding talent to his room.

On Thursday, Rivals’ Chad Simmons reported that Tennessee native Malik Howard will take a gameday visit to Columbia this season.

The date for that visit has not been set officially. Howard has been on campus previously, visiting USC this spring.

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A product of Oak Ridge High School in Eastern Tennessee, Howard is coming off a visit to Vanderbilt last weekend and will be in Knoxville to check out the Tennessee Volunteers this Saturday. Prying him away from the in-state programs will be difficult, but South Carolina could be one of the teams best-positioned to make that happen at this early point in his recruitment.

According to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Gamecocks have a 21.9% shot of landing Howard. That is second, behind only Vanderbilt. USC offered him back in March. Other schools like Miami, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Michigan could become prominent players as the recruitment continues.

Listed at 6-4 and 220 pounds, Howard is an impressive athlete at the tight end position. He runs well and has a knack for finding soft spots against opposing teams’ coverages. He plays as an in-line tight end, as an H-back, and as a wide receiver. Howard doesn’t mind blocking and has the physical upside to continue developing that part of his game.

Showcasing a willingness to play with physicality, Howard has played on the other side of the football, too. He has earned reps at both defensive end and outside linebacker for his Oak Ridge squad.

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Howard has other unofficial visits on the docket for this fall, including trips to Alabama and Texas A&M.

The Rivals Industry Ranking positions Howard as the No. 132 overall player in the class of 2027. He’s also No. 8 nationally among tight ends and No. 6 in the state of Tennessee.

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