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ReRank Breakdown: 2011 South Carolina Recruiting Class

Class Snapshot

2011 class

Key numbers for this recruiting class

Original ranking16
S2S rerank29
Total recruits32
Blue chip %28%

Badges Earned

No class-year badges earned for this class.

S2S Class DNA

2011 class

One-year metrics for this recruiting class

Hits & Misses

Hit: Damiere Byrd (WR) — Originally ranked 229. Outcome: NFL Starter. Byrd significantly outperformed his ranking, becoming a starter at the professional level. Hit: Jerell Adams (TE) — Originally ranked 326. Outcome: NFL Starter. Adams exceeded expectations by reaching the NFL as a starting tight end. Hit: Rory Anderson (TE) — Originally ranked 617. Outcome: NFL Starter. Anderson's performance in college led him to an NFL starting role, marking a successful outcome. Miss: Jadeveon Clowney (DE) — Originally ranked 1. Outcome: NFL Pro Bowl. While Clowney had a highly publicized career, his outcome did not align with the lofty expectations set by his number one ranking. Miss: Kelcy Quarles (DT) — Originally ranked 1. Outcome: Undrafted NFL Roster. Quarles did not meet expectations, resulting in him not being drafted despite being a high-profile recruit.

Development Story

The South Carolina 2011 recruiting class showcased a mix of outcomes, particularly notable for its high-performing recruits who exceeded expectations. The class contained several players who made significant impacts, especially among those originally unranked or low-ranked. The presence of multiple NFL starters among the hits indicates the ability of the program to develop talent effectively, even from less-heralded beginnings.
Conversely, the class had several highly ranked recruits who did not meet expectations, notably Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles. Clowney, while achieving a high outcome by being labeled as an NFL Pro Bowl player, did not meet the expectations of his original ranking. Quarles, a top recruit, ended up on an undrafted roster, indicating a failure to transition his college success into the professional realm. This juxtaposition of outcomes illustrates the variability in recruiting success, where high rankings do not always translate into high-level performance.

Outcome Summary

Overall, the South Carolina 2011 recruiting class met expectations regarding the number of recruits who became contributors at a high level, particularly in the NFL. The S2S rerank dropped from 16 to 24, indicating a recognition of the challenges faced by some of the higher-ranked recruits. The highlighted successes among the lower-ranked players contrast with the disappointments of a few top recruits, suggesting that while the class produced significant talent, the high-end expectations were not fully realized.
In conclusion, the 2011 recruiting class for South Carolina displayed both strong developmental success among lower-ranked players and challenges faced by its higher-ranked athletes.

Published: May 31, 2026Read time: 3 min409 words