Former Freshman All-SEC defender transferring from South Carolina

South Carolina redshirt senior linebacker Mo Kaba is expected to enter the NCAA transfer portal, GamecockCentral has confirmed. On3’s Pete Nakos first reported the news.

Kaba has had a Gamecock career that has been derailed by injuries. A Freshman All-SEC contributor in 2020 for Will Muschamp, Kaba was a rotational piece on defense for Shane Beamer’s first team in 2021, as well. With expectations high, he was named preseason All-SEC by multiple publications heading into the 2022 campaign.

However, a torn ACL in the second game of the season cut his season short. It was the same story in 2023 for Kaba as he injured his other knee in the season opener. With no quit in him, the veteran linebacker rehabbed his injuries and saw brief action in four games this fall.

Out of Clinton High School in North Carolina, Kaba was a 4-star prospect by multiple recruiting outlets in the class of 2020.

Because of Kaba’s medical history and the 2020 “Covid redshirt,” he still has multiple years of eligibility remaining.

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Mo Kaba South Carolina Bio

* 2022 Most Improved Player of the Spring – Defense

* 2022 Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring

* 2020-21 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

* 2020 SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman Team

True inside linebacker who returns for his fifth season in 2024… has had his last two seasons end prematurely due to ACL injuries… was hurt in the second game of the 2022 season and in the opener of the 2023 campaign… was a Freshman All-SEC performer in 2020… has appeared in 25 games with five starts over the past four seasons, but in just three games in the last two years.

2023 (Redshirt Junior)

For the second-straight year, had his season end almost before it began… suffered a left knee injury in the season-opener against North Carolina and missed the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL.

2022 (Junior)

Played in just two contests before suffering a torn ACL at Arkansas… started each of the first two games… recorded eight tackles including a half-tackle for loss… credited with four stops against both Georgia State and Arkansas… named the Most Improved Defensive Player of the Spring and the Jim Carlen Special Teams Player of the Spring… redshirted.

2021 (Sophomore)

Played in all 13 games in his second season for the Garnet & Black… credited with 32 tackles including a pair of tackles for loss… logged a season-high seven stops at Texas A&M, including a TFL… registered five tackles against both Auburn and Clemson… 25 of his 32 stops came in the season’s final six games.

2020 (Freshman)

Linebacker who was named to the SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman team… enrolled in January… did not participate in spring drills as he continued to rehab an ACL injury… saw more action as the season progressed… played in nine games, making three starts… recorded 13 tackles including a half tackle for loss… made his debut on special teams at Florida… logged his first two tackles at Vanderbilt… started the final three games against Missouri, Georgia and Kentucky… posted a season-high five tackles versus Georgia and finished with four stops at Kentucky… named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll. 

HIGH SCHOOL

Graduated from Clinton (N.C.) High School in December 2019… primarily played inside linebacker, but also used at several positions on offense… helped lead the Dark Horses to a 12-2 record and a spot in the 2-AA state semifinals as a senior… tore his ACL during his senior season, limiting him to just four games… invited to the All-American Bowl… coached by Cory Johnson… also competed in track & field… Rivals considered him the 17th-best player in the Tar Heel State and the 48th-best outside linebacker in the country… ranked as the 11th-best player in North Carolina, the nation’s 13th-best inside linebacker and No. 236 overall in the 247Sports Composite… considered the No. 227 player in the country in the ESPN300.

PERSONAL

Mohamed Kaba was born Nov. 3, 2001… graduated in May 2024 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies… family is originally from Africa… brother, Karfa, played football at North Carolina A&T.

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Transfer portal background information

The NCAA Transfer Portal, which covers every NCAA sport at the Division I, II, and III levels, is a private database with names of student-athletes who wish to transfer. It is not accessible to the public.

The process of entering the portal is done through a school’s compliance office. Once a player provides written notification of an intent to transfer, the office enters the player’s name in the database and everything is off and running. The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and that request cannot be refused.

The portal has been around since Oct. 15, 2018, and the new calendar cycle within the portal begins each August. For example, the 2021-22 cycle started Aug. 1. During the 2020-21 cycle, 2,626 FBS football players entered the transfer portal (including walk-ons). That comes after 1,681 entered during the 2019-20 cycle and 1,709 during the abbreviated 2018-19 cycle. In comparison, 1,833 Division I basketball players entered the portal during the 2020-21 cycle after totals of 1,020 in 2019-20 and 1,063 in 2018-19.

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