South Carolina scores signature recruiting win with 5-star CB Joshua Dobson
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South Carolina stayed the course, and it paid off in a big way.
Five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson has committed to Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks. This is a massive win on the recruiting trail for the staff in Columbia.
Dobson is the No. 6 prospect in the Rivals300 and the nation’s No. 1 cornerback, and after a late push by Michigan and Texas A&M doing all they could to get him to College Station, he chose the Gamecocks.
The race took several turns over the past two years.
South Carolina emerged as an early favorite before Tennessee, Notre Dame, LSU, Texas A&M and Michigan all carried momentum at different points. The Wolverines made a major late push after getting Dobson to Ann Arbor, while the Aggies set the pace throughout much of the spring.
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In the end, the recruitment came full circle.
South Carolina never stopped recruiting Dobson, and the relationships Beamer and his staff built over the years ultimately made the difference.
“The decision was so tough,” Dobson told Rivals. “Texas A&M and Michigan made it super-hard because I have so much love for both staffs.”
So what pushed the Gamecocks to the top?
“I love the people at South Carolina. They always made it feel like home.
“The development, not only on the field, but off the field, was big too. They will help me become a better man. Also on the field, I know Coach Gray and Coach White will take care of me and develop me.”
Those relationships started long before Dobson became one of the nation’s premier prospects.
“South Carolina has been with me for a long time,” he said. “It goes back to the eighth grade. They have recruited me for a long time.”
The Gamecocks’ persistence showed throughout the process.
After bringing Dobson back to Columbia for a multi-day visit back in April, South Carolina secured the final official visit, a move the staff had targeted from the beginning. The momentum steadily shifted toward the Gamecocks after that weekend, and they carried it through decision day.
Beamer’s impact proved impossible to ignore.
“Coach Beamer is there for his players,” Dobson said. “He always wanted me there. Coach Beamer has always talked to me and spent a lot of time with me. He cares for me. Coach Beamer is a great person and a great coach.”
Defensive backs coach Torrian Gray, defensive coordinator Clayton White and numerous members of the South Carolina staff also played key roles in building trust with Dobson and his family throughout the recruiting process.
“I know the staff so well,” he said. “They got to know me, they got to know my family and I have always been comfortable around the people at South Carolina.
“Coach Gray was big. He has developed numerous defensive backs, not only at South Carolina, but at Florida and Virginia Tech. He also coached in the NFL. He and his development was big and he made a big emphasis on coaching me and developing me at South Carolina.”
The commitment gives South Carolina one of the biggest recruiting victories of the Beamer era. It is up there with Dylan Stewart a couple of cycles ago. This could be only the beginning of a huge week in Columbia with multiple targets set to announce their decisions.
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