Former South Carolina OT Tree Babalade commits to Nebraska

Former South Carolina offensive tackle Tree Babalade committed to Nebraska, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. He spent three years with the Gamecocks.

In the 2025 campaign, Babalade made seven appearances and five starts. He began the season as a backup but was promoted to the starting lineup after Cason Henry suffered an injury early in the season.

In total, Babalade made 22 career appearances for the Gamecocks and 15 starts. Babalade preserved a season of eligibility in 2024 after only playing in four games. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

As a member of the Class of 2023, Babalade was a four-star recruit out of Hyattsville (M.D.) DeMatha Catholic, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 4 overall prospect in the state, the No. 16 offensive tackle in the class and the No. 221 overall prospect in the class.

Babalade is expected to be one of the highest-paid offensive tackles in the nation, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Babalade was the 10th South Carolina player to announce his intent to enter the transfer portal this offseason. After beginning the season ranked No. 13 in the country, South Carolina didn’t have an ideal campaign.

The Gamecocks finished 2025 with a 4-8 overall record and a 1-7 mark in conference play. Arkansas was the only SEC team with fewer wins in league play.

Nebraska is changing things over in 2026 as Matt Rhule looks for a new quaterback following the departure of Dylan Raiola. Raiola has hit the transfer portal and Babalade will be protecting, well, someone at least!