South Carolina Football: Gamecocks named finalist for HUGE transfer portal offensive lineman

The South Carolina football program has recruited better on the offensive line over the past two recruiting cycles better than almost any other program in the country. With six players rated as 4-star prospects or better in the class of 2023 and the class of 2024 (including 5-star Josiah Thompson), the Gamecocks have a high-upside future up front.

Unfortunately, Carolina has not yet seen the fruit of that recruiting labor.

The veteran offensive linemen on the team either got hurt or struggled (or, in some cases, did both) in 2023. Two of the youngsters, Tree Babalade and Tro Baugh, were fine contributors this fall, but they shouldn't have been forced into duty so early.

With the most talented players on the offensive line being rising sophomores and freshmen, South Carolina football could be a candidate to add a player or two from the transfer portal, especially after three veterans in the two-deep (Jaylen Nichols, Nick Gargiulo, and Grayson Mains) are no longer with the program.

On Saturday, a potential transfer portal target revealed that he was considering the Gamecocks.

According to a report from On3's Pete Nakos, former Mississippi State Bulldog tackle Percy Lewis (6'8" and 340 pounds) has a top-8 of South Carolina, Florida State, Georgia, Memphis, Cal, Auburn, Arkansas, and Ole Miss. He expects to make his commitment at some point in the next two weeks.

Lewis, formerly the no. 1 junior college offensive tackle in America at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, became the starter at Mississippi State down the stretch in 2023, starting the team's final 7 games. He was the Bulldogs' best pass blocker during that stretch and had some good moments in the run game, as well.

As a graduate transfer, Lewis has one year of eligibility remaining.

You can watch some of his junior college film here.