South Carolina is losing their leading rusher from the 2024 season to the NFL Draft. Raheim Sanders spent just one season at South Carolina and had 881 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, along with 316 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Sanders was out of college eligibility, for head coach Shane Beamer knew there was going to be a need at the running back position for the Gamecocks. Looking at the running back room, however, the next closest running back in rushing yards is Oscar Adaway III, with 226 yards and two touchdowns. Adaway wasn't even the second or third-highest rusher for the Gamecocks this past season.
The best thing for South Carolina would be to get a solid running back out of the transfer portal, but the Gamecocks could be in store to land more than that. After hosting the top-ranked running back in the transfer portal, Justice Haynes, last week, it seems the former Alabama back narrowed his choices down to two schools.
Pete Nakos of On3 has reported that the Justice Haynes transfer portal recruitment "has turned into a two-team race between Michigan and South Carolina." pic.twitter.com/1BJJYpdbd4
— The Big Ten Huddle 🎙️ (@TheBigTenHuddle) December 23, 2024
Haynes had official visits with Michigan, Ole Miss, and South Carolina, and after taking all three visits, the sophomore back has narrowed his choices down to the Wolverines and the Gamecocks. Ohio State was also in the mix there for a bit, but it seems as though Haynes is either going to stay in the SEC or make the move to the Big Ten.
Haynes would be a big pickup for the Gamecocks, coming from a big-time program with a lot of power conference experience. Haynes finished the 2024 season with 448 rushing yards on 79 attempts and seven touchdowns but wasn't too big of a threat in the passing game.
The upside to Haynes is that he will have at least two years of eligibility left and would be a great back to pair with quarterback LaNorris Sellers for a few years to come.