Defender from familiar program sets South Carolina official visit

Havelock High in North Carolina has produced more than one South Carolina player who went on to play in the National Football League.

Former Gamecocks wide receiver Pharoh Cooper played his high school ball for the Rams, as did offensive lineman Corey Robinson.

[On3 App: Get South Carolina push notifications from GamecockCentral]

The latest prospect that South Carolina’s staff is involved with from the school is 2025 linebacker Donovan Darden , who attended the annual Garnet and Black Game in Columbia last month.

Following that visit, the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder picked up a scholarship offer from the Gamecocks.

The recruitment further advanced this week when Darden scheduled an official visit to Columbia; that trip will take place the weekend of June 21.

Darden currently has multiple offers to his credit. At the Power 4 level, Boston College, Missouri, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia have all stepped forward with scholarships.

Pittsburgh also has an official visit lined up with Darden that is slated to begin on June 13.

Scouting Donovan Darden

It looks like the South Carolina staff has this intriguing defender on the board as a linebacker. For that position, he’s especially physically impressive.

The Gamecocks signed a pair of linebacker prospects in the 2024 class that carried similar physical profiles in Wendell Gregory and Fred Johnson. Like those two, Darden has the frame but also a versatile skill set.

Havelock employs him as a stand-up rusher off the edge, and on film he shows the ability to affect the quarterback and disrupt passing lanes. He’s also comfortable covering and tackling in space, likely the reason that the Gamecocks believe he could play a more true linebacker position in college.

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!

The post Defender from familiar program sets South Carolina official visit appeared first on On3 .