Fifth-year OL will not return to South Carolina in 2024

Offensive lineman Trai Jones will not return to the South Carolina program and has decided to step away from the game of football, GamecockCentral.com has learned.

The Abbeville (South Carolina) native signed with the Gamecocks as part of the 2020 class and played in eight games – starting three – as a redshirt junior last season.

The 6-foot-2, 310-pounder’s decision was cited to GamecockCentral.com as a personal choice to retire from football on Friday.

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Jones is not on the updated roster that South Carolina released on Friday.

Shane Beamer was asked about Jones on Friday. Beamer did not confirm that Jones is retiring and left the door open for a return.

“Trai is working through some things right now,” Beamer said. “Started out workouts with us last week and is taking a little bit of time right now to figure out what’s next for him. Everything’s fine, it’s nothing concerning, he’s just thinking through some things about what the next step is for him in regard to his football career. Something that we’re working through right now but we’re in constant communication with him.”

During his career in Columbia, Jones played in a total of 29 games with six starts as an offensive guard. In the 2021 season, he saw some action at fullback and notably caught a touchdown pass in a home win over Auburn.

Out of high school, Jones was tabbed by the On3 Industry Ranking – a weighted average of all four major recruiting services – as a three-star prospect and as the ninth-best prospect in the state of South Carolina.

The Gamecocks signed three freshmen offensive linemen for the 2024 recruiting class: Blake Franks, Kam Pringle, and Josiah Thompson, with each of those players having enrolled earlier this month.

Shane Beamer’s program additionally is bringing in multiple players through the transfer portal to factor in on the front five: FAU’s Kamaar Bell, Oklahoma’s Aaryn Parks, and NC Central’s Torricelli Simpkins.

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Trai Jones Bio from GamecocksOnline.com

* 2022 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
* 2021 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
* 2020-21 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

Offensive lineman who played in 29 career games with six starts over the past four seasons… also saw action at fullback during his Gamecock career and scored a receiving touchdown in 2021.

2023 (Redshirt Junior)
Appeared in each of the first eight games of the season before missing the final four contests with an injury… worked in a backup role through the season’s first five contests before moving into the starting lineup at left guard against Florida… started three-consecutive games – Florida, Missouri and Texas A&M, before leaving the A&M contest with an injury.

2022 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Third-year offensive lineman who played in 12 contests including three starts… made appearances in the first five games of the season before sitting out against Kentucky… played in each of the final seven games, including starts at left guard against Missouri, Vanderbilt and Florida… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2021 (Redshirt Freshman)
Appeared in nine games, primarily on special teams as a lineman, but also saw some action at the fullback position… played in just one of the first four games before he swapped his number 72 for number 44 and lined up in the backfield at Tennessee… touched the ball once, catching a three-yard touchdown pass from Jason Brown late in the first half against Auburn to knot the game at 14… it was the first time he had touched the ball in a game since his pre-teen days… earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his efforts in that contest… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2020 (Freshman)
True freshman offensive lineman who enrolled in January and went through the abbreviated spring drills… suffered an ankle injury during preseason camp and was sidelined for the remainder of the season… redshirted… named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL
A mid-year graduate from Abbeville (S.C.) High School… played on both the offensive and defensive lines… named first team all-state by the South Carolina coaches… helped the Panthers reach the state semifinals in Class 2A before bowing out with a 13-1 record in 2019… led the team to a pair of state titles in 2017 and 2018… selected to the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas… coached by Jamie Nickles… Rivals considered him the 12th-best player in the Palmetto State… ranked as the ninth-best player in South Carolina, the 15th-best offensive center in the country and No. 623 overall in the 247Sports Composite.

PERSONAL
Traizhan DaMyron Jones was born Aug. 22, 2002… earned a degree in criminology and criminal justice.

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