South Carolina Football: Transfer Portal Additions on Offense This Offseason

In 2022, South Carolina put together one of the country’s top transfer portal recruiting classes, led by quarterback Spencer Rattler. In 2023, with more overall talent on the roster, the total transfer ranking is not as prolific as Head Coach Shane Beamer and company have elected only to fill specific needs through the portal.

It is important to note that the transfer portal is now closed until after most teams complete spring practice, but players can commit and enroll in their new school if they had already entered the portal before it closed on January 18th. Players currently in the portal who have not enrolled elsewhere can return to their previous team if the team allows them to do so.

On offense, the Gamecocks lost four scholarship tight ends from last year’s roster and hit the transfer portal in search of quick replacements. Trey Knox, Joshua Simon, and Nick Elksnis all chose the Gamecocks after entering the portal, and each player will have an opportunity to earn immediate playing time.

Three more offensive skill position players will join the tight ends. Memphis transfer wideout Eddie Lewis and former Newberry running back Mario Anderson both should see rotational playing time early at South Carolina. Well-traveled senior transfer DeAngelo Gibbs joined the Gamecocks from Tennessee in hopes of finding a role at wide receiver. In addition to losing four pass-catching options from the tight end room, two of the top receivers on the team—former four-star Josh Vann and the much-improved Jalen Brooks—graduated and promising transfer Corey Rucker returned to Arkansas State, opening a clear role for Lewis or Gibbs if either player can claim it. Anderson is a bruising back who will look to fill some of the void left by MarShawn Lloyd’s transfer portal defection and Christian Beal-Smith’s graduation.

Two offensive linemen are part of the 2023 transfer class, Yale graduate Nick Gargiulo and Sidney Fugar from Western Illinois. Gargiulo likely will compete for the starting center position vacated by Eric Douglas who manned the middle the last three-plus seasons for the Gamecocks. Fugar is a take by new Offensive Line Coach Lonnie Teasley based on his upside but also possesses incredible size at 6’6” and 330 pounds.

Tight Ends

Trey Knox

Transferred From: University of Arkansas
Eligibility Remaining: 1 Year (Potential second year available with waiver)
Position: ATH (TE/WR)
Expected Role at South Carolina: Compete for Starter at TE/WR
Transfer Portal Ranking: 4 Stars (247, Rivals); Unranked (on3, ESPN)
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: 4 Stars (ESPN, Rivals); 3 Stars (247); on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 6’4”; 245 pounds; 79-inch wingspan; 4.65 second 40-yard dash;
Former Player Comp: Jared Cook

Joshua Simon

Transferred From: Western Kentucky University
Eligibility Remaining: 2 Years
Position: TE/WR
Expected Role at South Carolina: Compete for Starter at TE/WR
Transfer Portal Ranking: 4 Stars (247); Unranked (on3, ESPN, Rivals)
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: 2 Stars (247, Rivals); Unranked (ESPN); on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 6’3.5”; 220 pounds; 4.7 second 40-yard dash
Former Player Comp: Danny Smith

Nick Elksnis

Transferred From: University of Florida
Eligibility Remaining: 3 years
Position: TE/H-Back
Expected Role at South Carolina: Rotational at TE/H-Back
Transfer Portal Ranking: 3 Stars (247); Unranked (on3, ESPN, Rivals)
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: 4 Stars (ESPN); 3 Stars (247, Rivals); on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 6’6”; 245 pounds; 4.85 40-yard dash
Former Player Comp: Jacob August

Other Skill Positions

Eddie Lewis

Transferred From: University of Memphis
Eligibility Remaining: 1 Year
Position: Wide Receiver
Expected Role at South Carolina: Rotational at WR; Compete for starter at KR/PR
Transfer Portal Ranking: 3 Stars (on3, 247, Rivals); Unranked (ESPN)
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: Consensus 3 Stars; on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 6’1”; 190 pounds; 4.5 second 40-yard dash
Former Player Comp: Robert Brooks

Mario Anderson

Transferred From: Newberry College
Eligibility Remaining: 2 Years
Position: Running Back
Expected Role at South Carolina: Rotational at RB
Transfer Portal Ranking: 3 Stars (on3, 247); Unranked (ESPN, Rivals); Finalist for D-II Heisman Award
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: Consensus Unranked; on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 5’9”; 210 pounds; 4.6 second 40-yard dash; 460 pounds squat
Former Player Comp: Mon Denson

DeAngelo Gibbs

Transferred From: Tennessee
Eligibility: 1 Year; 2 Years with Waiver
Position: ATH (WR/DB)
Expected Role at South Carolina: Compete for Rotational at WR/DB
Transfer Portal Ranking: Consensus Unranked
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: 5 Stars (ESPN); 4 Stars (247, Rivals); on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 6’1″; 200 pounds
Former Player Comp: Matthew Thomas

Linemen

Nick Gargiulo

Transferred From: Yale University
Eligibility Remaining: 1 Year
Position: Offensive Line
Expected Role at South Carolina: Compete for Starter at C, Rotational on OL
Transfer Portal Ranking: Consensus Unranked
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: Consensus Unranked as OT
Measurables: 6’5”; 290 pounds; 5.1 40-yard dash
Former Player Comp: Alan Knott

Sidney Fugar

Transferred From: Western Illinois University
Eligibility Remaining: 3 Years
Position: Offensive Tackle
Expected Role at South Carolina: Compete for 2-Deep at OT
Transfer Portal Ranking: Consensus Unranked
Recruiting Ranking out of High School: 2 Stars (Rivals); Unranked (247, ESPN); on3 did not exist yet
Measurables: 6’6”; 330 pounds; 4.9 second 40-yard dash; 550 pounds squat
Former Player Comp: Jordan Carty