Shane Beamer gives his thoughts on 2025's potential portal stars

More than almost any team in the country, South Carolina nailed its transfer portal evaluations ahead of the 2024 season.

The Gamecocks didn’t sign a single top-50 transfer. They only brought in three players ranked in the top 30 in the portal at their position. But when the dust settled, USC saw 13 class of 2024 transfers start at least one game. Four of them made at least one All-SEC team in their only year in garnet and black. EDGE Kyle Kennard won the Nagurski Trophy as college football’s top defensive player. Both he and linebacker Demetrius Knight earned NFL Draft selection.

Before the ’24 transfer cycle, South Carolina saw great success from other transfers, too. Players like Spencer Rattler, Debo Williams, Juice Wells, Josh Simon, Nick Gargiulo, Nate Adkins, and Mario Anderson were among the transfers who played well at USC.

Head coach Shane Beamer believes Carolina’s track record of helping transfers shine could pave the way for more in 2025.

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The Gamecocks have signed a group that, on paper, ranks higher than last year’s transfer portal haul. Players like defensive back Brandon Cisse, running back Rahsul Faison, and center Boaz Stanley are among the newcomers many expect to play prominent roles for Beamer’s team this fall.

However, the feeling around the program is that some under-the-radar names could emerge, as well.

When asked about this possibility during his Tuesday Welcome Home Tour stop in Aiken, Beamer quickly mentioned one spot in particular. He stated, “There’s guys at the linebacker position.” Carolina signed former Alabama and Florida State ‘backer Shawn Murphy and former Alabama defender Justin Okoronkwo this winter. He took it a step further by bringing up Murphy by name.

“Shawn Murphy comes to mind. I mean, Shawn’s a guy that was a highly touted guy coming out of high school. That is, he is extremely talented. For whatever reason, it just hasn’t happened the way he wanted it to at Alabama and Florida State,” he said. The Gamecock headman explained, “And we tell [guys like Murphy], there’s a track record of success at our place where guys have come in–whether it be for one year, two years, three years–and they’ve played their best football their last season.”

Murphy, a former top recruit, fits the mold of a talented player with modest expectations who the USC staff believes could have a great year. He compared him to 2024’s Rocket Sanders, Demetrius Knight, and Kyle Kennard as similar examples.

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Beamer also brought up a couple of spring portal additions that could outshine expectations.

With depth concerns up front on the defensive line, South Carolina signed defensive tackle Troy Pikes and EDGE players Demon Clowney and George Wilson out of the portal. The fifth-year head coach mentioned both pass rushers on Tuesday.

Said Beamer, “Clowney, who we brought in, or George Wilson, the defensive end that we brought in from the portal–those are guys that they’ve had a different journey to get to where they are right now. But we have a lot of confidence that in their time with us, that they’re gonna play their best football.”

Beamer and his staff have expressed tremendous confidence in their ability to establish a strong culture. They also work hard to bring in players who fit that culture. With that, the Gamecock coaches feel good that anyone they sign can be the best version of themselves in Columbia.

“And it’s not just the coaching. It’s the weight room, it’s the training room, it’s the nutrition, it’s Derek Moore and character development,” he said. “It’s just the culture we have in place and the foundation that we have that will help all those guys be their very best. That’s the plan, and it allows us to never–we don’t look at a guy and say, he’s been at two schools and all that, and shy away. We feel good about everybody.”

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