Hough High School cornerback Joshua Dobson has been named the top 2027 commitment for South Carolina's football program and the best high school football player in North Carolina entering the 2026 season.
The five-star recruit transferred to Cornelius from South Carolina's Catawba Ridge High School before his senior year, and national recruiting outlets are now treating him as one of the premier prospects in the country, according to USA Today.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back committed to the Gamecocks on July 1 after narrowing his finalists to Auburn, South Carolina, Michigan and Texas A&M in June and visiting all four programs, according to ESPN. Texas A&M had been the longtime favorite.
"I love the people at South Carolina. They always made it feel like home," Dobson said at his July 1 commitment announcement.
Dobson, originally from Fort Mill, South Carolina, ranks tied for 15th nationally in USA Today's updated composite top 100 for the 2027 class and No. 2 among cornerbacks per both ESPN and Rivals. ESPN recruiting scout Tom Luginbill described him as "a long, gifted corner with elite level speed" who posted a 4.39-second 40-yard dash this spring and "could be a guy that sees the field early based off maturity and feel for the game."
If Dobson signs with South Carolina, he would be the program's highest-ranked signee since defensive end Jordan Burch arrived as the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2020 class, per ESPN.
Huskies loaded for title defense
Dobson joins a Hough squad ranked No. 1 in North Carolina's preseason polls and favored to repeat as NCHSAA 8A state champions after going 14-0 in 2025 and shutting out Millbrook 21-0 in the title game. Head coach DeShawn Baker's team was recognized by the Cornelius Board of Commissioners on April 20, where Mayor Denis Bilodeau presented Baker with an achievement certificate.
The Huskies now carry seven Division I commits on the roster, according to HighSchoolOT's conference preview. Five are transfers into the program for 2026, including Dobson and four-star safety Davion Jones, who committed to South Carolina one day after Dobson on July 2. Returning commits include quarterback Ethan Royal, the reigning Greater Charlotte Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year who is pledged to Marshall, and Jackson Heath, committed to Army.
Royal threw for 2,272 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior while also leading the team in rushing with 721 yards and 14 scores.
Hough opens its 2026 season on the road at Northwestern (S.C.), a program that went 13-1 last year, before hosting Cardinal Gibbons and Providence Day and then traveling to Mooresville.
