South Carolina Football: 3 signees who’ll have instant impacts in 2020

I’ve heard many college football writers say, “Five-stars just get on campus and figure it out.” Jordan Burch is one of those five-stars.

Burch is dangerously athletic. How many defensive linemen do you know played running back? He starts day one for two reasons. First, he’s a five-star. The expectation is when you come in that talented, you start day one. Second, both interior defensive linemen from last year — including projected top 15 pick Javon Kinlaw — are gone.

South Carolina might start two freshmen linemen and high school teammates, Burch and Alex Huntley.

Head coach Will Muschamp landing Burch was both a coup and an expectation. It was a coup because LSU, Georgia and Clemson remained in the mix after Burch did not sign a national letter of intent during the first signing period. It was expected because Burch is a Hammond School product, and that’s a few miles from South Carolina’s campus. Will Muschamp’s son went to school with Burch and several players from his class signed with South Carolina.

It was important for Muschamp to land the best defensive recruit at South Carolina since Jadeveon Clowney and keep him in the state.