Darden is a wildcard on the defensive side that has come up right all season long. Havelock uses the 6’4 specimen all over the field from right over the center to edge and that’s what he’ll need to do to beat Jacksonville again tonight. The USC Gamecock commit is a rare blend of size, speed and strength that you don’t see too often, I expect that you’ll hear his name alot tonight

Donovan was recently named a 4star recruit by Rivals and he has been playing like one all season long. The USC Commit had 2 sacks last game with several hurries and 8 tackles. Darden faces a balance Scotland attack where he should be able to show his full skill set on defense.

The USC commit was a menace on the field all night! I’ve covered Darden for the last 4 seasons and seen him play everything from QB, CB, LB , Safety, and edge. During the game, Darden moved around depending on down and distance. 1st down, the 6’4 225lb would typically stand up over the center, 3rd and long he was caving in one side of the offensive line. Donovan may not have gotten crazy stats but his impact was felt. The Sr was also one of the first players down on every kickoffs as well

Another Recruit steal in my opinion. Donovan has the potential to be one of if not THE top defensive ath in North or South Carolina. The future Gamecock lined and played all positions on the DLine, he also played all LB spots. High motor, extremely elite athleticism, and it looks like he is finding “his voice” this year.

We decided to keep Darden as an edge rusher even though he’s committed to South Carolina at linebacker. The reason is that I simply can’t let a guy with his bend be put in an off-ball role just yet. Darden plays bigger than his weight suggest and his wingspan is ridiculous, approching seven feet. You can tell on film too as he’s able to get ahold of ball carriers in positions where most would be too far away. He’s still improving as a pass rusher, but physically, he looks the part and should be an impact player in college.

Darden has quickly become one of my favorite prospects in the state. His get off is elite and his bend around the edge makes him a highly-coveted prospect at the next level. Several schools like him as an off-ball linebacker given his lateral movement and coverage skills. However, his highest upside is at edge rusher, where he’s able to put consistent pressure on the passer.