4-Star DT Rick Sandidge Commits to South Carolina over Georgia, UNC

North Carolina high school defensive tackle Rick Sandidge has announced he will play college football for South Carolina, according to Adam Friedman of Rivals.com. 

"I felt at home at South Carolina," Sandidge said. "The coaches and I have a really good relationship and there is still space for us to grow. I’m hoping the coaches can teach me more things about playing defensive tackle and defensive end and I want them to help me develop in everything."

Coming out of Concord High School, Sandidge has superstar potential at the next level. He's already a physical force at 6'5" and 288 pounds and should adapt to the college game quickly, making for a smooth transition. 

Sandidge is a 4-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 14 defensive tackle recruit in the nation and No. 141 overall recruit, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp is still in the process of building a roster that fits what he wants to do on both sides of the ball.

Muschamp did show his coaching chops with the Gamecocks in his first season with the program in 2016, going 6-7 a year after Steve Spurrier walked away in the middle of a 3-9 season. In 2017, South Carolina improved further, posting a 9-4 record, including a win over Michigan in the Outback Bowl.

Standing out in recruiting as an SEC program is difficult because Alabama often dominates the scene and there's so much depth with Auburn, LSU, Georgia and Florida, but South Carolina did have the 21st-ranked class in 247Sports' national rankings in 2017. 

Sandidge is a foundation piece for the Gamecocks to plug in on their defensive line, both at tackle and end, and just let him attack the football. He's a critical piece of the puzzle for Muschamp and his staff as they look to build the South Carolina program into a premier destination for elite recruits.