South Carolina 2023 DL target Monteque Rhames earns No. 13 offer from North Carolina Tar Heels
2023 Palmetto State defender is being pursued by schools from sea to shining sea. Can Gamecocks lockdown instate prospect? Only time will tell...
Sumter, South Carolina: Monteque Rhames, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound Class of 2023 defensive lineman hailing from the Sumter High School Gamecocks, announced today that he has earned his No. 13 scholarship offer from head coach Mack Brown and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. This follows offers from Arizona State, Charlotte, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia.
Rhames recorded 53 solo tackles, 75 overall tackles, 6.8 tackles per game, and a ‘monstrous’ 7.0 sacks in 2021, according to Max Preps. The defender was monumental in leading the 10-3 Gamecocks to a South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) AAAAA Region 6 championship and a trip to the state quarterfinals, where they fell 49-21 to Palmetto State superpower Dutch Fork. The Silver Foxes have won five straight state championships in South Carolina’s most competitive division of play.
Head coach Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks were the No. 3 school to offer the athlete on March 25, 2021. The Gamecocks, who boast the No. 21 recruiting class in the United States for the Class of 2022 (Rivals.com), will have no choice but to build a fence around their home state if they want to build on their successful 6-6 campaign in Beamer’s first season, and landing Rhames’ services could be key in their future endeavors.
However, landing the most talented and hard-working student-athletes in America (and even the Palmetto State) will require South Carolina coaches to do their ‘due diligence’ on the recruiting trail and compete with the Power Five’s biggest brands, even if the player lives a short 45 minutes from campus.
Rhames hits an icy pose during his visit to the University of South Carolina, one that Gamecocks coaches likely hope that the instate defender will imitate at the confines of Williams-Brice Stadium in front of 80,000 ‘crowing’ ‘Rowdy Roosters’ fans as USC takes on a Southeastern Conference opponent or detested instate rival Clemson.
However, they’ll have to compete with big brands like Michigan and North Carolina. Not only that, Clemson and Florida State have shown interest in the student-athlete as well, and who knows what SEC schools could be in line once he becomes a senior.
Competition is tough for the ‘classic underdog’ Gamecocks, but they continue to fight the bullies on the block for wins and recruits. Beamer is taking a knack for the role and has already proven himself against the likes of Florida and Auburn…
Photo: University of South Carolina Athletics
As South Carolina continues to make its sales pitch to Rhames and other prospective future student-athletes, the big defender will look to continue to ‘perfect his craft’ heading into his senior season and bring more well-deserved recognition to ‘small town USA’ Sumter, which already boasts the likes of Baltimore Ravens running back Tyson Williams and Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant.
The future is so bright for Rhames that he needs the visors’ shade...