Scouting South Carolina’s Tar Heel State Prospects: 2025 Commits
Some of you may know that in addition to lurking on the Insiders Forum and occasionally ranting about analytics I run the Prep Redzone North Carolina site. Sometimes that role allows me to bring quality information about players South Carolina is recruiting, especially now that the Gamecocks seem to have a renewed interest in the Tar Heel State. Here, I’ll give in-depth scouting reports on South Carolina’s three commits from North Carolina.
Four-star WR Brian Rowe is pictured on his latest South Carolina Gamecocks visit (Photo: Brian Rowe)
Breaking Down South Carolina’s Three North Carolina High School Commits
PRZ is the largest scouting site in the country that is dedicated to scouting every college prospect, not just the ones going to a Power Four school.
Because of this, our scouting database is enormous. Currently sitting at nearly 1,000 prospects across three classes, it can get a bit hectic following so many players.
The vast majority of those players don’t mean much to South Carolina fans, but occasionally, my work there overlaps with the interest of Gamecock fans and I can bring quality, in-depth information to Gamecock Central members. This is one of those times.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’m hoping to have a few of these installments, eventually giving scouting reports on players with South Carolina offers or even guys that I think could fit within the Gamecocks’ system. But first, we’ll start with the three who have already pledged to the Gamecocks.
Taeshawn Alston, LB, Vance County (North Raleigh)
State Ranking: 9Biggest Strength: Change of Direction/ExplosivenessBiggest Weakness: Lack of Coverage RepsEarly Role at South Carolina: Special Teams (punt return edge rusher, kickoff coverage)Long-Term Role: WILL LinebackerGamecock Player Comp: Bangally Kamara (Present)Junior Film
Scouting Report:
Taeshawn Alston currently plays edge for Vance County but South Carolina plans to move him off the ball in college and I agree. When we think “dominant high school edge rusher” we typically think about guys who dominate as pass rushers. But that’s not Alston’s game.
He’s best against the run and he sometimes makes opposing running backs look silly. His change of direction is fantastic for a guy his size (I have 6-2, 215 in my database, but I’ve heard he may have added some weight this offseason) and his straight-line speed isn’t bad either. So when a running back tries to juke or run around him, he effortless mirrors them and brings them down. He’s not a pure pass-rusher, so he often takes on blocks of bigger linemen, holding them at distance with his length and then moving off to make tackles when running backs pick a hole.
All of those traits are things South Carolina asks its linebackers to do and I think he’s a sneaky good pickup for the WILL position. His metrics are close to transfer Bangally Kamara, who racked up 120 tackles and five sacks with Pittsburgh.
Alston is patient, but once he knows which direction to go, he has an explosive first few steps. Early, this makes him a prime candidate for punt blocking. He’ll probably need a year in the strength program to retool his body and he needs reps in pass coverage, but don’t be surprised if he challenges for a starting linebacker spot as a sophomore.
Brian Rowe, WR, Jay M. Robinson High School (Charlotte)
State Ranking: 17Biggest Strength: Leaping AbilityBiggest Weakness: Size/DurabilityEarly Role at South Carolina: Return SpecialistLong-Term Role: Outside ReceiverGamecock Player Comp: Ace Sanders (Past), Gage Larvadain (Present)Junior Film
Scouting Report:
Brian Rowe is a really interesting, low-floor, high-ceiling prospect for the Gamecocks at receiver. His overall ranking is hurt mostly because I like some guys ahead of him in the state that don’t have crazy offer lists and aren’t as high in the On3 rankings. That being said, if the player comparison seems intriguing, good. (Keep in mind that player comps are more about playing style and less about level of competition, stats or a college projection).
Rowe will play as a true freshman in 2025, likely as a key returner on special teams. In terms of return guys to come out of North Carolina, he’s probably the best since Will Shipley or, going back further, Pharoh Cooper.
His size is a real concern. He’s a verified 5-10, 150 pounds as of May 3. That simply doesn’t work at the Power Four level. That being said, he has excellent length and the frame to comfortably hold another 20-30 pounds, even if he doesn’t get any taller. I have durability questions, if he stays that size.
Despite this, he rarely plays out of the slot and he plays bigger than his size suggests. I’d bea bit confused if South Carolina moved him to the slot because working in tight spaces isn’t his biggest strength. Instead, he likes to win by using space to create separation both at the stem (beginning) of a route and at the top.
He’s not asked to run a large variety of routes, but he flashes route-running ability and already understands some of the nuances of running against different types of leverage and defensive alignments.
His biggest strength though is his leaping ability and body control. It’s elite. The guy can jump out of the stadium and it shows. Because of this, his height isn’t an issue like his weight. He consistently beats bigger corners and Jay M. Robinson loves to throw it up and let him get it (He usually does). He’s got great, but not quite elite speed, but that doesn’t typically hurt him.
Like Sanders, he has the return ability to help immediately and like Sanders, he has soft hands and rarely drops passes. If you’re looking for a current player comparison, watch how South Carolina uses Gage Larvadain, because that’s how the Gamecocks will want to use Rowe, a smaller guy who plays bigger than expected and excels at the catch point.
Donovan Darden, Edge/LB, Havelock High School (Outer Banks)
State Ranking: 21Biggest Strength: Raw AthleticismBiggest Weakness: Lack of polishEarly Role at South Carolina: Situational Pass RusherLong-Term Role: SAM Linebacker/Edge RusherGamecock Player Comp: DJ Wonnum (Past), Wendell Gregory (Present)Junior Film
Scouting Report:
Darden is a raw, moldable prospect with ridiculous athleticism. As a pure pass rusher, he’s scary. A legitimate 6-4, 220, Darden is a former quarterback who grew too much and moved to edge.
Right now, he’s not asked to make many decisions. Instead, he’s like a dog on a chain: Wait for the snap and take off. He can get away with this because he has a high motor, ridiculous raw athleticism and great length, but he needs some polish.
His film reminds me a lot of DJ Wonnum’s, though Wonnum was a bit more advanced as a pass rusher and Darden’s metrics are a bit better.
It brings up an interesting dilemma, because South Carolina plans to move him off the ball as well, similarly to how the staff has *halfway* done that with Wendell Gregory.
Darden fits a very specific mold of player that the Gamecocks have recruited in the last three classes in Gregory, Darden and 2026 edge/linebacker Keenan Britt. With the news that Gregory is working some with the edge group, I believe South Carolina wants to work some players in a situational pass-rushing role, meaning guys like Jaron Willis could get some run against spread offenses this season.
Darden isn’t going to start early, but the traits are there for him to develop into a really strong pass rusher or hybrid outside linebacker.
The post Scouting South Carolina’s Tar Heel State Prospects: 2025 Commits appeared first on On3.
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