Inside the commitment: Jatius Geer
The South Carolina Gamecocks scored much-needed help along the front four with the Thursday announcement that Syracuse transfer Jatius Geer would be joining Shane Beamer’s program.
In this regular feature for GamecockCentral.com subscribers, we take a deeper dive into how the newest South Carolina pledge ended up with the program and what fans can expect to see from him.
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It is now safe to say that Geer went under-recruited out of Belton Honea-Path in the Upstate in the 2021 class. He held his fair share of quality scholarship offers, but it was a more modest list: Louisville, West Virginia, Memhpis, UCF, Kansas State, and Georgia Tech, for instance.
Those that closely follow recruiting and college football will recall what the landscape was for that ’21 recruiting cycle. It was right in the midst of the shutdown precipitated by COVID-19, meaning that college coaches were unable to host prospects or get out on the road and look at them in person. Geer’s team was only able to play six games his senior season. No doubt, those factors contributed to Geer not picking up more steam on the trail.
For then-new Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer, his early December hiring date in Columbia meant he had just days, essentially, to cobble together the early signing class for that cycle. Geer ended up signing during the early period with Syracuse in 2020.
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The former three-star was one that the South Carolina staff obviously knew about, but could not get an in-person look at due to the circumstances. Geer was a prospect that GamecockCentral.com was tracking at one point, wondering if perhaps he would end up drawing a stronger look.
As a high-schooler, Geer played end in BHP’s even front and was a standout pass-rusher for the program. At Syracuse, the Orange defense ran a 3-4, so Geer was often lined up head-up on the offensive tackle.
He played in just one game in year one, preserving his redshirt. 2022 represented his breakout season, as he started 12 of 13 games and finished with 33 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick.
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Geer’s listed weight (233) on his official Syracuse bio is an undercount according to multiple sources, and the eyeball test could verify it as well. He can easily play in the 260 pound range and has athleticism.
It’s well-known that South Carolina badly needed transfer portal help at the EDGE spot, whether that was a starter caliber player or just additional depth. As soon as he jumped into the portal, it was evident that South Carolina was going to be the biggest factor. Geer is likely good enough to have a good shot at starting this season.
He adds extra value to Shane Beamer’s program, too, because he’s far from a one-and-done player. He will be a redshirt sophomore this season, giving him up to three seasons of eligibility.
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