South Carolina football: Jordan Strachan rated as top 30 transfer by PFF
By Jacob Elsey
Edge rusher Jordan Strachan named top transfer ahead of ’21 season.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer had his work cut out for him on the recruiting trail this offseason, as he joined the program smack dab in the middle of the Early Signing Period. A number of Gamecock commits jumped off the boat following the firing of Will Muschamp and the previous staff, leaving the ’21 recruiting class fairly bare.
With a majority of high school prospects having already made up their minds on commitment decisions, Beamer and Co. were forced to scour the transfer portal for quality players to bring to the university.
One of those players was recently recognized by Pro Football Focus as being one of the top 30 transfers in college football ahead of the 2021 season.
Jordan Strachan joined the South Carolina roster after spending three seasons in Atlanta, where he played for Georgia State under former Gamecock assistant coach Shawn Elliott. In those three years, he totaled 78 tackles, capped with a 2020 campaign that saw him lead the nation with 10.5 sacks and force three fumbles.
Here’s what Pro Football Focus had to say about the talented pass rusher.
"Strachan, a former walk-on who missed most of 2019, is fresh off a big-time breakout season in 2020 with the Panthers. He was a hybrid linebacker who was clearly better off rushing the passer as opposed to dropping into coverage.Strachan notched a 90.2 pass-rushing grade and a 17% pass-rushing win rate for the season. The only problem is how he got to those numbers. They were buoyed by a handful of purely dominant performances, and when he went up against quality offensive lines, such as those of Louisiana and Appalachian State, Strachan wasn’t too effective. He’s quick and explosive, flashing a pretty good set of pass-rushing moves in his last year at Georgia State. Don’t expect Strachan to match that elite pass-rushing grade playing in the SEC, but he should still provide quality production when on the field."
Though he was listed as a linebacker at Georgia State, he will likely slide up a level to the defensive line in Columbia. Playing in a more traditional defensive end role will allow him to showcase his pass rushing abilities and limit his time in coverage. He could be a player used similarly to how JJ Enagbare was last season, where he’s moved along the front four in different situations, occasionally playing with his hand off the ground.
Moving closer to the ball will likely mean Strachan will need to add a few pounds as he looks to compete against SEC offensive tackles, but coach Shane Beamer has already noted that the newcomer is making strides in the weight room.
Coming to campus at 220 pounds, he’d be considered a bit of a tweener, but Beamer has said that Strachan’s added 17 pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame. That added weight will hopefully keep opponents from pushing the defender around too much, particularly in the run game.
Strachan will join the Gamecocks’ most proven defensive unit, but he’s still expected to earn a significant amount of playing time. He’ll team up with the likes of JJ Enagbare, who finished second in the conference in sacks a season ago, Aaron Sterling (9.5 career sacks), and former five-star recruit Jordan Burch to form a formidable pass rushing rotation.
Can Gamecocks add a second transfer from the group?
The top player on the list is former Clemson defensive back Derion Kendrick, who left the program after deciding to come back for his senior season.
Kendrick, once a five-star wide receiver, turned to defense as a sophomore. He earned All-ACC honors in each of the last two years, after totaling 61 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and three interceptions.
A Rock Hill native, Kendrick could be high on the Gamecocks due to proximity to home, but he’s also receiving interest from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and LSU. The Bulldogs seem to be the team beat at the moment, especially when considering they open the 2021 season against the Tigers in September.
But the Gamecocks have a thin defensive backfield, and they can offer playing time against SEC competition. Should Beamer and Co. land the nation’s top transfer, it would be an immediate boost to the South Carolina secondary and the defense as a whole.