South Carolina football has two defensive backs committed to the program in the class of 2025. 4-star cornerback Shamari Earls and in-state safety Damarcus Leach pledged to the Gamecocks back in April, but USC hopes to bring in some more talent in the secondary before the recruiting cycle ends.

Defensive backs coach Torrian Gray has the Gamecocks in a solid position with several prospects, both at the safety and cornerback positions. One of these players is Georgia safety Lagonza Hayward.

Hayward recently put the South Carolina football program on his list of top schools along with the Tennessee Volunteers, Florida State Seminoles, Florida Gators, Southern Cal Trojans, Georgia Bulldogs, and Alabama Crimson Tide. However, according to a report from Sportstalk’s Phil Kornblut, Hayward has whittled his list even further to a top-3.

Hayward’s three favorites, according to Kornblut, are the Tennessee Volunteers, Florida State Seminoles, and South Carolina Gamecocks. Hayward does not have an official visit set to Columbia or Tallahassee, but he plans to get those scheduled.

Lagonza Hayward plays wide receiver and defensive back for his Toombs County High School team. He is a hard-hitting athlete. All the same, his future is probably safe.

Hayward plays with intensity and is a superb athlete. He already lists at 6’2″ and 200 pounds, so his stature and tenacity make him an excellent run support player. He seems to like going downhill and taking down ball carriers or possible pass-passers in the video.

He is not, however, a run-game-only player. On his high school film, Hayward shown his comfort level in both zone and man coverage. He also possesses a talent for intercepting passes, either by putting one of his long arms in the way of the receiver or by making powerful hits.