Irish Rugby Star Joins South Carolina’s College Football Team
Neff Giwa, a 20-year-old rugby player from Ireland, will sign with South Carolina on Sunday. He has never played organized American football before. Filmogaz.com confirmed the commitment through Premier Prospects International founder Brandon Collier.
How a three-second clip changed everything
Collier posted a brief pass-blocking clip of Giwa on March 16 at 5:44 p.m. The video lasted just three seconds. Within minutes, coaches from multiple Power Five programs reached out.
Responses arrived from schools including Miami, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, SMU and Texas Tech. Miami coach Mario Cristobal in particular pushed hard to recruit him.
Player profile and physicals
Giwa stands 6-foot-7½ and weighs 295 pounds. He measured 37-inch arms. He played rugby in Ireland prior to this recruitment. Despite no football experience, his length and athleticism drew attention from top programs.
| Age | Height | Weight | Arm length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6 ft 7½ in | 295 lb | 37 in |
Offers and interest
Multiple scholarship offers arrived after the clip circulated. Reported offers came from Miami, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and SMU. Additional interest came from Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
Giwa ultimately chose South Carolina. He is scheduled to join the Gamecocks for the 2026 season. He plans to arrive on campus in May.
Recruiting tour and campus visits
In March, Collier brought Giwa and nine other European prospects to the United States. Their first stops were Ohio State and Kentucky. Giwa did not attract much interest at those two schools.
The group then traveled to Toronto for a workout. Collier recorded the pass-blocking drill there. The tour included visits to Michigan, Michigan State, Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee. Both South Carolina and Tennessee made offers during those visits.
Why South Carolina?
Giwa was impressed by Gamecocks offensive line coach Randy Clements. Collier highlighted Clements’ history developing NFL talent. Clements previously coached Sebastian Vollmer and Danny Watkins.
Giwa returned to South Carolina to spend more time on campus. He said the environment felt right. That comfort helped finalize his decision.
Collier’s international pipeline
Brandon Collier runs Germany-based Premier Prospects International. He is a former UMass defensive tackle now based in Germany. Over the last decade, Collier has placed about 100 international athletes in major college programs.
Eight of those athletes started in the SEC last season. Collier described the Giwa recruiting surge as the fastest he has seen.
- Agent/connector: Brandon Collier (Premier Prospects International)
- College choice: South Carolina (joins 2026 season)
- Previous sport: Rugby (Ireland)
- Notable measurements: 6-7½, 295 lbs, 37-inch arms
Final notes and reaction
Giwa called the experience surreal. He said social media created sudden national awareness. A month earlier, he had no profile in American football.
Justin Okoronkwo, another Collier protégé from Munich, is already a leading tackler for South Carolina. Giwa will join a program familiar with international recruits.
