How LB Skylar Alston's Commitment Affects South Carolina's 2028 Recruiting Class

South Carolina earned a commitment on Sunday night from four-star LB Skylar Alston. How does this impact the Gamecock's 2028 class?

Cardinal Gibbons linebacker Skylar Alston visits Ohio Stadium on the day of the Ohio State Buckeyes football game against UCLA on Nov. 15, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

South Carolina's 2028 recruiting class got a huge boost on Sunday night with the addition of four-star linebacker Skylar Alston. With that class still over a year away from signing day, where does it rank among the best in the country?

It's early. Really early. But never too early to talk about the potential of this class and where it could land. Right now as of Nov 9, 2026, the South Carolina 2028 recruiting class sits at the 9th spot in the country with three commitments.

• Four-star WR Joseph Gibbs
• Four-star LB Skylar Alston
• Three-star WR Jhamari Cain

South Carolina's best finish in the recruiting rankings under Shane Beamer was the 2026 class which finished at 15th in the country per 247Sports. That class was headlined by five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray.

Gibbs is a 6-foot-1 and 187 pound wide out from Southeast Alamance High School. He is rated as a four-star and a top 300 player in the country by 247Sports. He is a multi-sport athlete excelling on the gridiron and track. He was a state qualifier in 2025 in the 100 meters, posting a 10.54 in the 100 and a 50.34 in the 400. Playing both sides of the ball as a sophomore, Gibbs caught six passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns, through six games.

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Cain is a 6-foot and 178 pound receiver who nicknames himself "Megatron." As a sophomore in 2025, he caught 28 balls for 532 yards and five touchdowns. He is teammates with 2027 four-star wide receiver Iveon Lewis.

Skylar Alston News

Nov 7, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Fred Johnson (0) sacks Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Andrew Ivins, Director of Scouting for 247Sports, had this to say when looking at South Carolina's newest addition.

-Stack ‘backer with a nose for the football.
-Compact and on the lighter side now, but should be able to eventually add some mass.
-Can shoot into gaps with his trigger, but really shines when in pursuit with his lateral range.
-Will wrap as a tackler, but room to keep improving as a face-up thumper.
-Comfortable in zone coverage looks with his route recognition and could eventually be a true three-down defender with further physical development.
-Projects at this juncture as a future multi-year contributor at the Power Four level that can rack up stops around the box.

Alston is a 6-foot-1 and 210 pound linebacker from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He chose the Gamecocks over Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. He finished 2025 with 130 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, five pass breakups, two sacks, and one interception.