Gamecocks Top 5 Newcomers to Watch

When it comes to filling positions of need, I really liked what Coach Beamer and staff were able to do this past offseason in recruiting. There were simply a few spots that had to be filled by either blue chip high school recruits or capable transfers and the staff got the job done. In this article, let’s take a look at my top five newcomers to ready to make an impact.

Starting at defensive end, I’ve got two newcomers to watch. Kyle Kennard, the Georgia Tech transfer, is a balanced end who can play in multiple defensive fronts. Given his versatility, Kennard may prove to log the most snaps of any defensive lineman for the Gamecocks in 2024.

Our second defensive end to watch is true freshman Dylan Stewart. Don’t expect Stewart to start for South Carolina right away… but also don’t expect to stay on the sidelines much. Stewart is simply that good and I would expect him to eventually compete for SEC Freshman of the Year come award season.

Our third newcomer is linebacker Demetrius Knight who transferred in from Charlotte. Knight brings elite speed to the linebacker spot and enables the coaches to flex between 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 defensive personnel. I have no doubt you’ll notice the improvement in speed in the 2024 Gamecocks linebackers because of Knight’s presence.

Okay okay.. Switching over to offense.

Rocket Sanders, the former Arkansas standout, provides the Gamecocks with a legitimate all-SEC caliber running back. Given the offensive scheme being built around quarterback LaNorris Sellers, you could argue that Sanders is the most important newcomer for the entire team. Sanders can run through or by defenders and is an offensive tone-setter fans will love to watch.

At wide receiver Jared Brown transferred in from Coastal Carolina and should immediately be the Gamecocks top receiving option. What I really like about Brown is his ability to play multiple spots and serve as a gadget player for runs and jet sweeps. As the Gamecocks break in a new quarterback and almost entirely new receiving corps, Brown’s versatility and experience could prove to be the glue for the Gamecocks passing game.

Just missed…

The runner-ups to Sanders and Brown at running back and receiver. The staff completely flipped those rooms and I’ll be breaking those newcomers expected to contribute down in an upcoming post.

Josiah Thompson, the best offensive tackle signee for South Carolina since Brandon Shell in 2011 and two more offensive lineman I’ll discuss in a future post.

Jalewis Solomon could wind up being a starter at Nickel for the Gamecocks come end of season and is athletic enough to play just about any defensive back spot.

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