South Carolina Football: Former Gamecocks finding new homes via transfer portal

The South Carolina football team will look significantly different in 2024 than it did in 2023. In addition to players like Spencer Rattler and Xavier Legette moving on to the NFL, in the era of the transfer portal, roster turnover is at an all-time high around the country.

The Gamecocks have had 11 transfer portal commitments so far in this transfer cycle. That is a great number as Shane Beamer and the South Carolina football staff have filled some holes on the roster through the portal.

Carolina also lost 17 scholarship players to the portal. Most of those players were buried on the depth chart, but a few of them were impact players for the Gamecocks. Two of those impact players made their transfer decisions on Sunday.

Wide receiver Juice Wells was a surprise portal entry two weeks ago, but after a minor tease of a Gamecock comeback, he has found a new home. Wells will be staying in the SEC and will join the Ole Miss Rebels. Like South Carolina, Ole Miss has one of the top transfer portal classes in the country, and Wells is the top offensive weapon moving into Oxford. The Gamecocks will host Wells and the Rebels on October 5th at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Another surprise transfer portal player was running back Mario Anderson. Anderson had originally gotten some interest from Oklahoma, but once the Sooners snagged another talented running back, Anderson's destination became clear. On Sunday, it was reported that USC's leading rusher in 2023 will play next year at Memphis.

Wells and Anderson are not the only former Gamecocks who have found a new team through the transfer portal. Kicker Mitch Jeter committed to Notre Dame last week, and defensive tackle D'Andre Martin was the first portal Gamecock to find a home, pledging his services to the Charlotte 49ers. Offensive lineman JonDarius Morgan committed late Sunday to play at UAB.

It is worth mentioning that the transfer portal closes for a period in January but reopens after most teams have completed spring practice. It seems likely that South Carolina football could lose a few more players to the portal, and if there are still perceived holes on the roster, it would stand to reason that they could add a piece or two in the spring or summer.