South Carolina football gets commitment from 2024 four-star linebacker Wendell Gregory

COLUMBIA — South Carolina football added another member to its 2024 class Friday, picking up a commitment from four-star linebacker Wendell Gregory.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Gregory is the No. 12 linebacker in the Class of 2024 and the No. 130 prospect nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He chose the Gamecocks from among 20 Division I offers and a top three that included Tennessee and Missouri.

Gregory is from Marietta, Georgia, and four members of South Carolina's current roster hail from the same town. Freshman offensive lineman Cason Henry and redshirt junior defensive back B.J. Gibson also graduated from Walton High School, where Gregory attends.

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Gregory is the fourth commitment in South Carolina's 2024 class and third in the past week. In addition to four-star quarterback Dante Reno, No. 1 offensive tackle Kam Pringle committed Sunday, and four-star tight end Michael Smith joined the class Tuesday. Though it is early in the 2024 recruiting cycle, the Gamecocks' class currently ranks No. 12 in the nation, and they are one of seven programs with at least four 4-star commitments.

Both of South Carolina's 2022 starting linebackers are out of eligibility, but there are solid returning players. Redshirt sophomore Debo Williams, freshman Stone Blanton and redshirt junior Bam Martin-Scott all played significant snaps and will contend for starting roles. Junior Mohamed Kaba, who won the 2022 starting job in preseason, will also be back after a season-ending ACL injury in Week 2.

The 2023 recruiting class is coach Shane Beamer's second since taking over the program in 2021. His 2022 recruiting class ranked No. 24 in the country and 10th in the SEC, according to the 247Sports Composite. This class is ranked No. 16, the program's best result since it had the No. 16 class in 2012.

South Carolina (8-5, 4-4 SEC) finished the regular season on back-to-back upsets over top-10 teams. The Gamecocks dominated then-No. 5 Tennessee and knocked off then-No. 8 Clemson for the first time in the rivalry matchup since 2013. They concluded the year with a 45-38 loss in the Gator Bowl against Notre Dame.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football lands Wendell Gregory, 2024 4-star LB