Shane Beamer’s first signing class is all but complete, ending months of hard work trying to assemble a class between the already-committed players, building through the transfer portal and mining the non-signed high school players in February.

It was a smaller class, but offered some insight into the Gamecocks’ recruiting strategy moving forward in terms of where Beamer and his staff will look for players.

“We always want to start right here in South Carolina. We did that when I was here before with so many great players: Alshon Jeffery, Stephon Gilmore, Devontae Holloman, Marcus Lattimore, DJ Swearinger,” Beamer told Rivals in an exclusive interview. “There were so many great players like that. Then go throughout the region.”

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The Gamecocks signed two high school players from the state of South Carolina in O’Mega Blake and TJ Sanders, two junior college players in Marcellas Dial and Zay Norris by way of Georgia Military and one more coming from the transfer ranks (Keem Green).

They mined three from Georgia—Jordan Davis, Caleb McDowell and Colten Gauthier—with one more from North Carolina in Nick Barrett.

Both are states Beamer said he wants to get into, along with Florida and trying to exploit some ties in the Virginia and Maryland area.

“Florida will be big for us. I’m really excited for us to be able to get up into Virginia and DC more. That’s an area where so many young men north of us in North Carolina, Virginia, DC and Maryland want to play SEC football,” Beamer said.

“If they want to play in the SEC it’s easier to get to South Carolina than probably anywhere else in this conference. I have ties up there. There are coaches on staff with ties up there. We want to continue to attack that region.”

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But, the Gamecocks showed they want to delve into a few different areas as well, diving into Alabama and Louisiana to land LaDareyen Craig and Kolbe Fields while going out to Kansas to land JUCO backer Bam Scott.

Sam Reynolds and Jondarius Morgan, both from Alabama, were signees committed under a previous staff.

It showed a willingness by Beamer and the staff to go west to try and land players, and something they’ll likely do moving forward.

“We’re not going to be all over the country necessarily chasing players but Justin Stepp came from Arkansas and has fantastic ties out there in the state of Texas. Marcus Satterfield spent time at Baylor. I was at Oklahoma and am familiar with that part of the country. I recruited San Antonio and Austin when I was there,” Beamer said.

“We have contacts and there are great high school player and coaches out there that have been in touch with us already. Again these are guys who want to play SEC football and want to do it at a fantastic university in a great city.”

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The Gamecocks’ 2022 class will focus more on the high school ranks, and the first and foremost priority will be in-state talent then branching out from there.

“We’re not going to close the door on anybody but certainly we want to start here in this state, in this region and then go from there,” Beamer said.