South Carolina football's top-ranked commit Jaishawn Barham flips to sign with Maryland

Eric Boynton, Greenville News
·1 min read

All the weekend excitement around the South Carolina program caused by elite linebacker Jaishawn Barham's commitment quickly evaporated early Wednesday as the national early signing period got underway.

The Saint Frances Academy (District Heights, Maryland) linebacker instead signed with Maryland after committing to the Gamecocks Saturday. He was the top-ranked commit in coach Shane Beamer's first two recruiting classes at USC.

Barham (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) is ranked as the 108th overall prospect and eighth-best linebacker in the 247Sports Composite. His change of mind leaves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania safety Keenan Nelson, Jr. as this cycles highest-ranked recruit at 219th overall and 19th at his position.

The loss of Barham dropped the Gamecocks three spots to both 19th nationally and to ninth in the SEC (where they were passed by Arkansas and Tennessee). Barham is the highest-ranked recruit for Maryland.

USC has signed two linebackers -- Mississippi's Stone Blanton (369th overall and 36th at his position) and Georgia's Donovan Westmoreland (439th and 43rd

Check back for more on this developing story

South Carolina loses its top-rated commit on the start of early signing day.
South Carolina loses its top-rated commit on the start of early signing day.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: USC's top-ranked commit Jaishawn Barham flips to sign with Maryland