Neff Giwa quickly grabbed attention on the recruiting scene earlier this month after viral clips showed his phenomenal athleticism. He has now made his college choice official, committing to South Carolina.
Neff Giwa Commits to South Carolina over Miami and Texas
Giwa made two visits to South Carolina during his recruiting tour before officially committing to the Gamecocks on Sunday. He made multiple additional stops and ultimately picked Shane Beamer’s program over the Miami Hurricanes, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, and North Carolina Tar Heels.
Giwa has yet to appear in an American football game, but he brings impressive size and athletic traits. He is a standout rugby player from Ireland who also played soccer and basketball as a youth. He competed for Cashel Rugby Club near his hometown of Tipperary, Ireland, later featured for Munster Rugby, and was selected for the Ireland U18 Clubs and Schools squad.
After footage of Giwa performing offensive line drills surfaced online, several top programs quickly began recruiting him despite his lack of football experience. It remains to be seen how Giwa will fit into South Carolina’s system under new offensive line coach Randy Clements. Still, with injuries at offensive tackle, he has a chance to step in and compete immediately. He will be a phenomenal addition to South Carolina’s offense, which finished last season with a PFSN College Football Offense Impact Metric score of 77.7.
Giwa has potential, highlighted by his 37-inch arms and a 4.88-second 40-yard dash.
“If you can create a tackle in a laboratory, this is what you want him to look like,” Brandon Collier told the AP about Giwa. “Then he has the toughness. You can have all these measurements, but if you’re not tough mentally and physically then you probably won’t make it.”
Collier is the founder of PPI Recruits, an international recruiting and placement platform for American football prospects. It is the same organization that brought linebacker Justin Okoronkwo to America.
Giwa credited Collier for opening life-changing doors.
“I’d just be a regular guy, doing what 90% of the world is doing, just trying to make a living,” Giwa told the AP. “That’s why I’m so grateful because I’m able to do something that I really love now.”
Giwa does not currently hold a recruiting ranking from Rivals or ESPN, but 247Sports lists him as the No. 199 offensive tackle in the 2026 class.
Giwa was originally listed in the class of 2027, but he has actually signed with South Carolina as part of the 2026 cycle. He becomes the fourth offensive lineman in the class and is set to enroll this summer, joining Darius Gray, Zyon Guiles, and Anthony Baxter. South Carolina’s 2026 class currently ranks No. 20 nationally and No. 13 in the SEC.
