South Carolina DL Zavion Hardy plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal

South Carolina defensive lineman Zavion Hardy plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced on Twitter on Thursday morning. Hardy spent the past season with the Gamecocks.

Hardy initially entered college in the JUCO ranks, playing for East Mississippi C.C. He spent two years there before enrolling at South Carolina.

During his lone season with the Gamecocks, Zavion Hardy recorded just one appearance. He played during the team’s 51-7 win over Coastal Carolina, though he did not record any statistics.

During his time at EMCC, Hardy logged 24 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 12 games as a freshman for the Lions. His team reached the NJCAA Division I Football Championship Game

In his second season, Zavion Hardy earned first-team All-MACCC honors. He parlayed that success into an opportunity at South Carolina.

Prior to enrolling at EMCC, Hardy was ranked as a four-star prospect and the No. 382 overall recruit in the class. He was the No. 45 defensive lineman in his class and the No. 37 overall player in the state of Georgia, according to the On3 Consensus.

LaNorris Sellers to decide on future

While the loss of Zavion Hardy will sting, the future for other South Carolina players remains up in the air. Like quarterback LaNorris Sellers.

Sellers returning to the Gamecocks in 2026 would provide the entire team a huge lift, but coach Shane Beamer isn’t sure which route his signal-caller will take just yet. He spoke to that after the Clemson game.

“Yeah, I mean, you’ve got to ask LaNorris that,” Beamer said. “I’m focused on today’s game. I’m not going to dissect and give you an analysis of what the ’26 roster is going to look like.”

LaNorris Sellers finished his season with 2,056 passing yards and 11 touchdowns, against six interceptions. He also ran for 268 yards and five scores, offering some dual-threat ability.

For his part, Sellers was mum on a potential decision. He spoke about that after the game.

“I mean, when the decision comes to make a decision, when time comes to make a decision, I’ll make the decision that works best for me,” Sellers said.

Whether that decision will be similar to Hardy’s remains to be seen. But it’ll be worth following.