You don’t have to watch hours of tape to recognize South Carolina’s glaring weakness this season and the Gamecocks’ coaching staff has taken the necessary steps to ensure improvement in the area next fall.

South Carolina managed just 12 sacks in 12 games, an SEC-low and the fewest for a Power 5 program in the country. Consistency along the defensive line was the team’s primary problem, a combination of players who haven’t developed and rotations that never found a niche.

If the current class stands on National Signing Day, several newcomers will likely play as true freshmen next season, providing instant impact up front. The only player South Carolina loses in the trenches defensively is J.T. Surratt, a senior and projected mid-round pick.

Current DL commits

  • Four-star — Marquavius Lewis, 6-4, 270 (Hutchinson C.C., Kansas)
  • Four-star — Arden Key, 6-5, 230 (Atlanta, Ga.)
  • Four-star — Shameik Blackshear, 6-5, 240 (Bluffton, S.C.)
  • *Four-star — Dexter Wideman, 6-4, 260 (Camden Academy, Camden, S.C.)
  • *Three-star — Dante Sawyer, 6-3, 260 (East Mississippi C.C., Scooba, Miss.)
  • Three-star — Quandeski Whitlow, 6-3, 220 (Opelika, Ala.)

*Wideman and Sawyer are non-enrolling carryovers from the 2014 class for the Gamecocks.

Other positions of need

  • Wide receiver — The Gamecocks lose Nick Jones and Damiere Byrd as pass-catching options along with tight end Rory Anderson.
  • Defensive backs — Based on the lack of production at the back end this season, replacing multi-year starter Brison Williams won’t be easy in the secondary.