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Updated look at where outgoing South Carolina Gamecocks sit in transfer portal rankings

Screenshotby: Kevin Miller12/27/25kevinmillerGC

The transfer portal doesn’t open officially until January 2nd, with the exception of players from schools undergoing head coaching changes. However, players all around the country have already signaled publicly their intention to leave their current teams. For South Carolina, 10 scholarship players are on that list.

Tight end Michael Smith left the team in October to preserve a redshirt and transfer. Since the end of the regular season, offensive linemen Trovon Baugh, Nick Sharpe, Cason Henry, and Tree Babalade, quarterback Air Noland, defensive lineman Zavion Hardy, wide receiver Brian Rowe, and linebackers Jaron Willis and Taeshawn Alston have all announced their plans to transfer from the program, as well.

Walk-on kicker/punter Peyton Argent, walk-on receiver Emazon Littlejohn, walk-on offensive lineman Mac Walters, and walk-on defensive lineman Chase Kibble announced their transfer intentions, as well.

According to On3’s latest transfer portal player industry rankings (as of Friday afternoon), four of those players are among the top 300 national transfers available. 10 have earned a spot in On3’s top 800 so far.

South Carolina Transfer Portal Resources:

Smith is highest in both the On3 transfer portal ranking and the industry ranking. The 6-6 tight end ranks as the No. 87 overall transfer and No. 8 tight end, according to the industry ranking. The four-star transfer is On3’s 151st-best transfer prospect and 9th tight end. During his stint with South Carolina, he registered 12 receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

Next up is the freshman receiver, Rowe. The most recent portal announcement, Rowe is No. 132 currently and No. 22 among wide receivers, per the industry ranking. On3’s transfer portal player ranking slots him in at No. 168 overall and No. 25 among receivers. Rowe showed promising flashes as a freshman this fall, and he possesses elite athleticism. Still, he only posted 19 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. He will have three years left to play collegiately but has a redshirt available to him.

At No. 188 overall, Babalade is the industry ranking’s No. 10 offensive tackle. The On3 portal rankings consider him the No. 231 transfer and No. 16 tackle. He was an on-again, off-again starter for South Carolina but showed some intriguing tools that will be worth monitoring at his new school. Babalade has two years left of collegiate eligibility.

Sharpe, who started five games this season on the Gamecock offensive line, is the 254th transfer portal player in the On3 Industry Ranking. He is 9th in the portal among interior offensive linemen, as well. According to On3’s transfer player ranking, he is No. 224 overall and No. 11 positionally. Sharpe will have one final year of eligibility at his next stop.

Henry (384), Noland (391), Hardy (491), Willis (520), Baugh (554), and Walters (764) rank a bit lower in the On3 transfer portal hierarchy. Each of them is listed as a three-star transfer. As of the time of this writing, Alston and the three remaining walk-ons remain unranked.

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