South Carolina Football: Gamecock target, former 5-star makes transfer decision

South Carolina football fans who have been paying close attention to the transfer portal are well aware of the name LT Overton. A former 5-star prospect, Overton graduated a year early and played two seasons at Texas A&M as a rotational defensive lineman.

Overton and his brother Micaiah put their names into the transfer portal this offseason after Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher was fired.

Overton's first visit after hitting the portal was to the South Carolina football program, and by all accounts, things went well, However, he was going to give the Alabama Crimson Tide a visit after leaving Columbia, leaving Gamecock fans with pessimism regarding his recruitment.

Those pessimistic feelings proved to be right.

On Tuesday, LT Overton committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The athletic defensive tackle will play his final two years of eligibility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

As big as an Overton commitment would have been, the Gamecocks prepared themselves for his decision.

Before Overton even visited, Carolina put themselves in a great position with junior college defensive tackle Jerome Simmons (Highland Community College), and the big man committed after his visit (he was on campus at the same time as Overton). Fellow defensive tackle Deandre Jules (Pittsburgh) came to town right after the initial group of visitors, and he also committed to the transfer portal class. Next up was EDGE rusher Kylen Kennard (Georgia Tech) who joined the fold just a few days later.

USC also returns four veteran defensive tackles for next season as Tonka Hemingway, TJ Sanders, Boogie Huntley, and Nick Barrett all will be in garnet and black in 2024.

Overton wasn't South Carolina's only recent "miss" in the transfer portal as quarterback AJ Swann committed to LSU after it seemed like he would become a Gamecock.

South Carolina football fans can expect to see their favorite team take a quarterback and wide receiver before the transfer portal cycle is over (the second window is after spring practice). If a big-time talent becomes available at another spot, USC could be interested, as well.