The Gamecocks are no strangers to drama on the recruiting trail, and once again, all eyes are on Columbia. The question circulating across college football circles right now is: Can South Carolina pull off one of the biggest flips in the 2026 cycle?
That's the buzz after five-star edge rusher Zion Elee, the nation's top-ranked defensive end, posted a photo Sunday night rocking Gamecock gear during a recent visit. Though Elee reaffirmed his commitment to Maryland, his post sent the recruiting world into a frenzy.
At 6-foot-3.5 and 220 pounds the St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) standout is built like he was "assembled in a lab" according to 247Sports' Hudson Standish, who compared Elee to Penn State's Chop Robinson.