South Carolina football fans found out on Tuesday night that linebacker Grayson "Pup" Howard entered the transfer portal near the final hours of the transfer portal window. The former 4-star, class of 2023 prospect was viewed as one of the headliners of last year's recruiting class, both on the field as a player and off the field as a dedicated Gamecock.
However, in the modern age of the transfer portal and lawless NIL, college football has become a wild, wild west of player movement.
Perhaps lost in the shadow of the Howard news, another Gamecock freshman entered the transfer portal at about the same time.
Class of 2023 tight end/running back Kam Sandlin entered the transfer portal.
— Kamron Sandlin (@kamron_sandlin) January 3, 2024
Sandlin, an Alabama native who primarily played quarterback for Anniston High School, did not have a role on the South Carolina football team this fall.
He was recruited as a potential tight end/h-back out of high school but moved to running back as the Gamecocks' fortunes looked bleak at the position. While things weren't great at running back, the emergence of Mario Anderson meant that USC didn't need even more depth at the position, so Sandlin moved back to tight end.
Sandlin, already expected to be buried on the depth chart heading into next season behind Josh Simon, Brady Hunt, Connor Cox, Nick Elksnis, and Reid Mikeska, was also believed to be behind incoming freshman Michael Smith, a 4-star prospect who could play as a true freshman.
At this point, it is unclear if Sandlin plans to play tight end, running back, or quarterback at his next stop or if he has a plan in mind, at all.
Sandlin is the 22nd player (21st scholarship player) to enter the transfer portal from the South Carolina football program this offseason. No other tight ends have left the program, and running back Mario Anderson was the only ball carrier to hit the transfer portal.