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Priority South Carolina target moves up commitment date following official visit to Columbia

by: Kevin Miller06/23/25kevinbmiller52
South Carolina football recruiting target Samari Matthews. ( Photo Credit: Samari Matthews | Twitter/X: @samari_matthews )
South Carolina football recruiting target Samari Matthews. ( Photo Credit: Samari Matthews | Twitter/X: @samari_matthews )

South Carolina football just wrapped up its final official visit weekend of the summer on Sunday. One of the top class of 2026 prospects on campus was four-star defensive back Samari Matthews.

You can read more about Matthews’ OV to USC here.

The North Carolina native entered the weekend with a new top four of South Carolina, Texas, Miami, and Florida State after eliminating the rival Clemson Tigers and Oregon Ducks. Now, in the immediate aftermath of his final official visit, he is nearing a commitment. Matthews announced on social media that he will make his commitment on July 11th. That marks a one-month acceleration of his timeline, as Matthews previously announced an August 10th decision day.

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Matthews took official visits to all four of his finalists. First up was a trip to Miami, a school that entered the race more recently. Then, Florida State hosted the talented cornerback the next weekend. Viewed as South Carolina’s top competition in the Samari Matthews Sweepstakes, the Texas Longhorns were next on the docket. The Gamecocks got the final opportunity to have him on campus before the summer dead period.

Matthews has good relationships with the South Carolina coaching staff and several players in the Gamecocks’ recruiting class. He is also the exact type of long, athletic, physical corner that defensive backs coach Torrian Gray covets. USC has made him a priority for some time, and that is a big reason why Shane Beamer’s program is optimistic about their chances here.

On3’s industry ranking–a weighted composite made up of the rankings from On3, 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals–considers Matthews as the No. 69 overall player in the class of 2026. He’s also the No. 6 player in a loaded North Carolina and No. 9 nationally among cornerbacks. He is a consensus four-star prospect and ranked inside the top 100 by three of the four major recruiting services.

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