Top 25 Prospect P.J. Dean Visits South Carolina Ahead of Spring Game

Just last week, P.J. Dean ranked No. 22 overall in the class of 2026 by On3 Sports announced his top three schools: South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio State. 

At the moment, it looks like a two-team race between South Carolina and Georgia, with the Bulldogs currently holding the momentum for the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the country out of Clemmons, N.C.

But today, P.J. posted that he was visiting South Carolina this evening and could find himself at the spring game tomorrow as a major visitor. Even if he doesn't make it to the game, getting him on campus before the summer and before his official visits especially after naming South Carolina to his top three is a significant step. 

The Gamecocks had momentum for Dean heading into the offseason, and this visit could help them reclaim that edge, as Georgia’s momentum is a more recent development.

The Gamecocks are currently favored to land the No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the country, five-star Darius Gray, who is ranked as the No. 1 IOL by 247Sports. South Carolina is positioning itself to sign one of the best offensive line classes in the country this cycle, building on top of impressive hauls from recent years. That includes former five-star and No. 1 OT Josiah Thompson now a sophomore and redshirt freshman Kam Pringle, who was once ranked as the No. 1 tackle in his class before finishing as a high four-star.

The Gamecocks are aiming to continue what they’ve dubbed the “Great Wall of Carolina,” and today’s visit from Dean could bring them one step closer to making that vision a reality.