After former Summerville wideout Jaiden Kelly-Murray—now set to suit up for Oceanside Collegiate this fall—committed to South Carolina, receivers coach Mike Furrey quickly shifted his focus to another elite in-state target.
Ridgeland’s Amare Patterson, a 6-foot-2, 197-pound receiver from Bluffton High School, recently attended a Gamecocks spring practice where he earned an offer from Furrey and head coach Shane Beamer.
Patterson described the moment as long-awaited and emotional, especially sharing it with his father.
Beamer also highlighted the program’s evolving offense, noting that with a new offensive coordinator in place, wide receivers are expected to thrive—something he believes Patterson could be a major part of in the future.
Before South Carolina entered the picture, Patterson had already attracted strong interest from several top programs and admitted he wasn’t sure the Gamecocks would eventually offer.
That changed after Furrey personally reached out and invited him and his father for a visit, which ultimately led to the scholarship offer—renewing Patterson’s enthusiasm for the program.
According to Patterson, the coaching staff is drawn to his explosiveness, ball skills, and agility despite his size.
He’s coming off an impressive season at Beaufort High, where he recorded 48 receptions for 877 yards and 10 touchdowns, surpassing 1,000 all-purpose yards.
Patterson has been active on the recruiting trail, recently visiting Nebraska and previously making stops at Florida and Georgia. He also has upcoming spring visits to LSU, Florida State, and USF.
Official visits are scheduled with Georgia (May 15), LSU (May 29), and Florida (June 12), with a few more still undecided—including South Carolina. He plans to announce his college commitment on June 20.
