South Carolina Football Newcomers That Need Big Year for the Gamecocks

Matt Peavy | May 27, 2024

Nov 11, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer celebrates after a play against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

As the South Carolina Gamecocks look to continue to improve the program under head coach Shane Beamer, we take a look at the newcomers that need to have great seasons.

Going into his fourth season as South Carolina’s head coach, Shane Beamer wants to improve upon his disappointing 2023 5-7 record, he’ll need some help from some new faces to his program. After an offseason that boasted top 20 recruiting classes both from the high school ranks, as well as from the transfer portal, there’s likely to be some immediate production that wasn’t on the roster in 2023. Here’s three new Gamecocks to watch out for in 2024.

Dylan Stewart, EDGE
The most physically gifted and talented player joining the Gamecocks in 2024 is true freshman Dylan Stewart out of Washington, DC. Stewart was ranked as the number 2 EDGE player and number 19 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class. He shows a good blend of speed and strength to go along with massive size at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds. According to 247Sports (2024), Stewart is the second-highest-rated EDGE player to commit to South Carolina since Jadeveon Clowney in 2011, and they share almost identical measurables. If Stewart has a good fall camp and can adjust to the pace of SEC football, he could see significant snaps for the Gamecocks and be an immediate producer in this defense.

Raheim Sanders, RB
This one seems almost unfair to use. Running back Raheim Sanders, an incoming senior from Arkansas, was named as a Second Team All-American in 2022. In 13 games during the 2022 campaign, Sanders rushed for over 1400 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also tacked on another 270 yards and two scores receiving out of the backfield. Multiple injuries sidelined him in 2023 for the Razorbacks, but Sanders has remained confident that he will return to his former glory in 2024. If he is fully healthy, Sanders will look to replicate his impressive numbers from 2022.

Offensive Line Unit
While this isn’t a singular player, it’s worth pointing out that Shane Beamer clearly recognized that his offensive line did not play up to standard in 2023. The Gamecocks signed four transfers and two high school recruits in their 2023 signing class. The mix of talented incoming freshmen and experienced incoming transfers should provide a solid boost to an offensive line that ranked 118th in sacks allowed in 2023 with 41. If this unit can build some cohesion and keep first-year starting quarterback LaNoris Sellers upright, South Carolina could easily improve on the offensive side of the ball in 2024.

Full List of Incoming Players to the South Carolina Roster

Freshmen:
● Dylan Stewart
● Josiah Thompson
● Fred Johnson
● Wendell Gregory
● Kam Pringle
● Mazeo Bennett
● Kelvin Hunter
● Dante Reno
● Blake Franks
● Debron Gatling
● David Bucey
● Mason Love
● Michael Smith
● Jerome Simmons
● Jalewis Solomon
● Matthew Fuller
Transfers:
● Vandrevius Jacobs (FSU)
● Dalevon Campbell (Nevada)
● Gilber Edmond (FSU)
● Kamaar Bell (FAU)
● Robby Ashford (Auburn)
● Davis Beville (Oklahoma)
● Torricelli Simpkins III (North Carolina Central)
● Buddy Mack III (PITT)
● Monkey Goodwine (Alabama)
● Aaryn Parks (Oklahoma)
● Bangally Kamara (PITT)
● Gage Larvadain (Miami (OH))
● Demetrius Knight Jr. (Charlotte)
● Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (Louisville)
● Gerald Kilgore (Tennessee Tech)
● Brady Hunt (Ball State)
● Kyle Kennard (Georgia Tech)
● Jawarn Howell (South Carolina State)
● Raheim Sanders (Arkansas)
● DeAndre Jules (PITT)
● Oscar Adaway III (North Texas)
● Jared Brown (Coastal Carolina)