Typically, most college footballl fans are pretty plugged in on recruiting whether it's players from their state or the top players their team is after. Every once in a while, a prospect that few people have heard of bursts onto the scene becoming a target for nearly every program. Over the last several weeks, that has been the story of offensive tackle Neff Giwa.
At 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, Neff Giwa is a mountain who would seemingly be perfect on the offensive line. The only issue is that the Irish prospect has never played football, but has a rugby background and can run a 4.88 second 40 yard dash.
When Miami discovered Neff Giwa and offered him a scholarship, he quickly became highly sought after. Over the last month, Neff Giwa has gone on various recruiting visits before announcing his commitment on Sunday.
Given that Miami discovered Giwa, many expected the Hurricanes to win out, but it was always going to be more of a battle.
South Carolina wanted to give Neff Giwa a huge NIL deal so he’d commit yesterday and cancel his Miami visit. But since Mario Cristobal was the towering OT prospect from Ireland’s first offer, Giwa still wanted to take the trip to UM. He is visiting the Canes right now. https://t.co/d680plXuoq
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) March 24, 2026
South Carolina steals Neff Giwa away from Mario Cristobal
On Sunday Morning, the viral offensive tackle recruit announced his commitment, picking the South Carolina Gamecocks over Miami, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
NEWS: Class of 2026 OT Neff Giwa has Committed to South Carolina, source told @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 29, 2026
The 6’8 300 OT from Ireland chose the Gamecocks over Miami, Texas, North Carolina, and Tennessee
He’s a rugby-player-turned OT with 37-inch arms and runs a 4.88 40https://t.co/47LvHMIrdJ pic.twitter.com/fd0mMWQ1N1
While Mario Cristobal and Miami wanted Neff Giwa, his recruitment became way too wild for the Canes to go all in. South Carolina certainly went all in to land Neff Giwa, and whether or not it's the right decision will be seen long term. While Miami certainly could've spent big on Giwa, at the end of the day he's a developmental prospect who could be a star or a major bust.
Under Mario Cristobal, the Miami Hurricanes are always going to have a solid offensive line. Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal are the best developmental pair in the sport, and if it's not Giwa they'll find another prospect to turn into a future NFL star.