South Carolina football: Jalen Brooks ruled eligible

South Carolina football just got a huge boost at the wide receiver position.

Wide receiver Jalen Brooks has been battling the NCAA on its ridiculous decision to deny his eligibility for the 2020 season. After the initial denial, the South Carolina coaching staff appealed the NCAA ruling, and it’s finally paid off.

On Wednesday morning, Brooks was cleared for action for the remainder of the year. It comes at a great time for the Gamecocks, who desperately need someone to step in and help Shi Smith out at the receiver position.

The first waiver denial came as a bit of a surprise as Brooks was transferring from a lower level of football to a destination closer to home, and the NCAA has removed any eligibility restrictions amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Still, it took four weeks for the appeal to come back. Luckily for the Gamecocks, it’s worked out in their favor.

Brooks was highly productive at Wingate University in North Carolina, developing into an all-conference performer by his sophomore season. For his career with the Bulldogs, Brooks caught 52 passes for 1,048 yards and 10 scores.

After two years, Brooks decided to transfer to Tarleton State University in Texas, who was transitioning to the FBS level, agreeing to join the WAC for the 2020-21 athletic season. But before setting foot on the field, the pass catcher opted to play in Columbia after receiving an offer from the Gamecocks’ coaching staff.

The semester long stint at Tarleton State is what halted the waiver approval process in the first place. Now, the Gamecocks have their guy, though. He impressed over the preseason, and looked to be in line for a starting role prior to his transfer denial. South Carolina hopes that he can have an immediate impact as they may be in a bit of a shootout with LSU on Saturday.

The Gamecocks will be in action at 7 PM in Baton Rouge. We’ll see if Brooks is able to crack the starting lineup when South Carolina squares up against the Tigers.