While most college football programs remain focused on the 2025 and 2026 classes, South Carolina’s Shane Beamer is looking much further down the road, extending a rare offer to a prospect who won’t graduate high school until 2029. The South Carolina head honcho made a three-year jump into the future and offered a scholarship to the son of a former Gamecocks captain.

On January 26, South Carolina made a move by extending a scholarship offer to Captain “Cap” Munnerlyn Jr., a standout defensive back in the class of 2029. Yes, he’s the son of former Gamecock legend Captain Munnerlyn. In short, it’s a classic “legacy” offer. Even though he’s only a freshman at Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama, Munnerlyn Jr. is already playing like a seasoned vet.

This past season, he racked up 63 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions, proving he’s inherited his dad’s knack for big plays. His dominant performance earned him Freshman All-American honors from Rivals and MaxPreps, and that puts him on the map as one of the best young prospects in the entire country.

At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, he’s already bigger than his dad was during his pro days. He’s got the speed to match with a reported 4.5-second 40-yard dash. That’s partly why his stock is exploding right now.

Besides South Carolina, he’s already picked up offers from heavy hitters like Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. So, the Gamecocks are going to have some stiff competition to keep him in the family.

For starters, he looks very much like his pops. His dad was a local legend for the South Carolina Gamecocks before becoming a playmaker in the NFL for a decade. Despite being considered “undersized” at 5-foot-9, he was an absolute ballhawk at South Carolina from 2006 to 2008. He also earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2007. He finished his college career with 127 tackles and 5 interceptions.

But he was perhaps even more dangerous on special teams, once returning a blocked field goal 81 yards for a touchdown against Kentucky. So obviously, the fans are expecting him to be as good as his old man or better.

While the younger Munnerlyn is busy becoming a high school star, his dad is staying busy in the coaching world. Captain Munnerlyn Sr. recently took a big step up, being named the defensive coordinator for the Columbus Aviators in the UFL for the 2026 season.

It’s a busy time for the Munnerlyn family. But for Gamecock fans, the hope is that all roads eventually lead back to Williams-Brice Stadium for the next generation.

Nonetheless, these are happy times in Columbia right now.

Shane Beamer’s insane recruiting class

While several recruiting agencies may rank the Gamecocks in the top 20 of the Class of 2026, their average rating per recruit puts them 9th in the country.

The big wins this year were definitely in the trenches and right in their own backyard. They managed to keep the state’s No. 1 player, defensive back J’Zavien Currence. They also flipped four-star edge rusher Julian Walker, who ditched his Michigan commitment to join the Gamecocks instead.

The “crown jewel” of the class is Darius Gray, the No. 1-ranked interior offensive lineman in the country. Given his caliber, he’s expected to block for his signal-caller as soon as next season.

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Since the high school class is set, the staff has been super aggressive on the transfer portal. They’ve added 25 transfers so far to beef up the roster. The most impressive pull has to be Jacarrius Peak from NC State, an obvious Day 1 left tackle. Even though it’s only January, the coaches are already out on the road making offers to the classes of 2027 and 2028.

Overall, while 2025 was a bit of a bumpy ride on the field, Beamer is clearly working overtime to make sure the future in Columbia is bright.