Top 3 landing spots for four-star IOL Darius Gray to the Class of 2026 ft. South Carolina

Four-star interior offensive lineman Darius Gray remains one of the most coveted prospects at his position. He released his top schools list on Christmas Eve, which featured Ohio State, Clemson, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Penn State, LSU, Oregon, Alabama, Virginia Tech and Georgia.

Gray is the No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class, the No. 2 prospect in Virginia and the No. 79 recruit in the nation. He is set to prove his talents on a national stage at the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, next month.

Let's see which three programs are most likely to secure Gray's commitment.

Top 3 schools vying for Darius Gray's commitment

3.Clemson

Clemson is considered a dark horse in Darius Gray's recruitment, having extended an offer to him back in the summer. After receiving the scholarship, he expressed his excitement to TCI, saying:

“That means everything. To be hand-picked means a lot to me. It just reminds me that working hard gets me where I dreamed of being.”

Clemson has five committed players in its 2026 class, ranking No. 19 in the nation. The class is headlined by four-star prospects like quarterback Tait Reynolds and cornerback Shavar Young.

2.Tennessee

Darius Gray was in attendance during Tennessee's 50-0 win against UTEP on Nov. 30 in Neyland Stadium.

“The visit was great, being able to be back around the coaches and the atmosphere was great!" Gray told SI. "The city was amazing and everyone was passionate about the game coming up! I got to speak with all of them. Their main message was they’re excited to have me back and couldn’t wait to continue building the relationship.”

Though the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Tennessee less than 1% chance of securing Gray's commitment, he said Tennessee is a school that he does consider:

"Maybe one day I can make plays on the field to help win the city of Knoxville a national championship!" Gray added.

If Gray commits to Tennessee, he would pair up with the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 class, Faizon Brandon. The class features five more committed players and ranks No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference.

1.South Carolina

On3's Steve Wiltfong has predicted that South Carolina will land Darius Gray, with the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine giving the Gamecocks a 90% chance of securing his commitment. Offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley has been instrumental in Gray’s recruitment, and the prospect has visited Columbia more than 10 times.

South Carolina currently has one interior offensive lineman committed in the 2026 class: three-star prospect Anthony Baxter. The cycle ranks No. 5 in the Southeastern Conference with six commits, including safety J'Zavien Currence, linebacker Rodney Colton, edge rusher Keenan Britt, tight end Jamel Howse and cornerback Peyton Dyer.