South Carolina’s 2027 recruiting class has faced a difficult stretch over the past several days. The Gamecocks first lost four-star cornerback Aamaury Fountain, who flipped his commitment to Florida. Soon after, four-star wide receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray also backed away from his pledge, with signs pointing toward Virginia Tech as his next destination.
Despite those recent setbacks, head coach Shane Beamer may be starting to regain momentum. Four-star running back Aiden Gibson has narrowed his recruitment to five schools, and South Carolina remains firmly in the hunt. The highly regarded in-state prospect is also considering North Carolina, Rutgers, Penn State, and Louisville.
Gibson is ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect in South Carolina for the 2027 class and is listed among the nation’s top running backs. He competes at Woodruff High School, where he is also a standout track athlete. Over the past three seasons, Gibson has rushed for 3,931 yards and scored 52 touchdowns.
His visit schedule is already taking shape, with trips planned to Rutgers on May 29, South Carolina on June 5, and Penn State on June 12. The Gamecocks originally offered Gibson in April of last year. While he has not announced a commitment timeline, his recruitment is clearly entering a more focused stage.
Landing Gibson would be a significant boost for Beamer and the Gamecocks. South Carolina currently has only two verbal commitments in the 2027 class, which ranks 59th nationally. Convincing one of the state’s top prospects to stay home would be a major step toward stabilizing and rebuilding momentum for the class.