Shane Beamer confirms former South Carolina DB Jaylan Foster is helping with coaching staff

Former South Carolina football star Jaylan Foster has returned to the program in a new role, as confirmed by head coach Shane Beamer. During a recent press conference, the former All-American cornerback was officially revealed as a member of the coaching staff after working out at multiple NFL rookie minicamps over the summer.

“He is,” said Beamer. “I’m not exactly sure what the title is and all that, but we’ve got a pretty good group of guys. … I think, technically – well not technically, but legally – the role he is, he’s not necessarily coaching. But he’s involved with us and around the program, and is an asset, for sure, for all the obvious reasons. He’s great with those young defensive backs and all the guys.

“We talked about it today, there’s freshmen that may not play next Saturday night as what they wanted to, and may end up redshirting. Well Jaylan Foster redshirted a year. … If you’re not quite ready to play right now, that’s ok.”

More about Jaylan Foster

Jaylan Foster established himself on the football field at South Carolina over the years and now has an opportunity to do the same on staff as a role model and a mentor for young players.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound defensive back had the best year of his college career in 2021, finishing with 97 tackles (five for loss), two sacks and tied for the SEC lead with five interceptions. He helped lead the Gamecocks to a 7-6 finish, including a victory in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against North Carolina.

Jaylan Foster was underrecruited coming out of Byrnes High School in Duncan, South Carolina, and opted to attend Gardner-Webb his true freshman season in 2016. He transferred to South Carolina the following year as a walk-on, and eventually worked his way up to a scholarship in 2020. He played in 10 games that season, making five starts while recording 43 tackles to finish fourth on the team.

During his one year at Gardner-Webb, Foster was named the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year. He finished the season with five interceptions — a Big South freshman record — in addition to 45 tackles, nine passes defended and a pair of fumble recoveries. He also led the FCS in defensive return yards with 185 and scored two defensive touchdowns, one on a fumble recovery and the other on an interception.