South Carolina kicked off the new year by landing prized in-state wide receiver recruit Donovan Murph, in a head-to-head battle with Clemson, at the Under Armour All-America Game.
WHAT DONOVAN MURPH SAYS ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
247Sports sat down with Murph when he arrived in Orlando for the Under Armour All-America Game earlier this week.
Here’s what he shared about his decision to commit to South Carolina:
“It’s really about their consistency throughout my entire recruitment. That’s the main thing with South Carolina. My relationship with the coaching staff and the chance to make an early impact also played a big role.
“I don’t shy away from competition; I love to compete. So, with the five other wide receivers signed by South Carolina, we’ll just push each other to be better. We’re all aiming to make the best wide receiver room in the country, and that’s what’s being built there. LaNorris Sellers has developed into a real SEC quarterback, and people are starting to notice what South Carolina is doing—they’re definitely trending upwards.
“I’ve been there a lot since it’s just down the street.
“There have been several changes in the wide receiver coaching staff, so I had to get to know different coaches, but Coach Shane Beamer has been consistent with me. He made sure I stayed connected with whatever coach came in, and that stood out to me. He made it clear that I was a priority for them.
“Other schools just threw out numbers, but South Carolina put everything in writing for me to see.”
WHO ELSE WAS IN THE MIX?
Murph’s five official finalists were South Carolina, Clemson, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Colorado.
Clemson was the runner-up.
Murph only took official visits to South Carolina (Nov. 1) and Clemson (Nov. 22).
WHERE DONOVAN MURPH RANKS AS A RECRUIT
Murph, a four-star recruit on 247Sports, has a rating of 90. He is ranked as the No. 42 wide receiver in his class and the No. 6 prospect in South Carolina.
In the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Murph is ranked No. 233 overall, No. 30 among wide receivers, and No. 6 in South Carolina.
HOW DONOVAN MURPH FITS WITH SOUTH CAROLINA
Murph becomes the 26th commitment in South Carolina’s 2025 class.
With his commitment, the Gamecocks’ recruiting class now ranks No. 18 nationally, moving up four spots to earn a top-20 position.
Murph is the sixth wide receiver to sign with South Carolina in 2025. He ranks as the fourth-highest receiver in the class, following fellow four-stars Malik Clark from Rock Hill (S.C.), Lex Cyrus from Harrisburg (Pa.) Susquehanna Township, and Brian Rowe from Concord (N.C.) Jay M. Robinson.
The class also includes high-three-star Jordon Gidron from Columbia (S.C.) Ridge View and three-star Jayden Sellers from Florence (S.C.) South Florence.
Notably, all five wide receiver signees, including Murph, are mid-year enrollees and will participate in spring practice with the Gamecocks, while Murph will enroll in June.
WHAT WE THINK ABOUT DONOVAN MURPH
247Sports’ director of scouting, Andrew Ivins, shared his analysis of Murph after observing him during UA practice earlier this week:
“Murph is a technically skilled route-runner capable of drawing a high volume of targets and helping flip the field. While many wide receivers who have reclassified in recent years have struggled at the next level, Murph is physically advanced for his age and doesn’t appear to have reached his full potential. His impressive on-field resume, with 153 catches for 2,412 yards and 29 touchdowns in 28 career varsity games, speaks for itself.
“At this stage, he’s more of a build-speed athlete, but he can attack leverage and track the football on deep routes like fly, post, and sluggo routes. He’s also not afraid of contact. For South Carolina, this is a valuable post-Signing Day addition as the Gamecocks continue to rebuild their wide receiver room. They need to upgrade at the position, and Murph has the skill set to eventually become a trusted option.”
On Day 1 of practice this past Monday, 247Sports national scouting analyst Hudson Standish highlighted Murph’s performance:
“Murph had one of the best plays during Team Unstoppable’s one-on-one session, running a sluggo route that created initial separation. He then showcased impressive ball tracking and body control, working back to the football and making a tough grab through contact.”
