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South Carolina offers productive, big-bodied receiver from transfer portal

by:Kevin Millerabout 15 hours

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South Carolina football transfer portal target Tru Edwards. Photo credit: Josh McDaniel | Louisiana Tech Athletics
South Carolina football transfer portal target Tru Edwards. Photo credit: Josh McDaniel | Louisiana Tech Athletics

Late on Friday night, South Carolina offered a scholarship to transfer portal wide receiver Tru Edwards. The former Louisiana Tech standout had a big 2024 season, racking up 77 receptions for 897 yards and six touchdowns. Edwards, a 1st team All-Conference USA performer this fall, announced the offer on social media.

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After starting as a walk-on at Navarro Junior College, Edwards made a stop at Hawaii before landing at Louisiana Tech. Like Gamecock linebacker Bam Martin-Scott, Edwards is applying for a final year of eligibility following the NCAA’s new 2025 waiver for former junior college players. He has picked up offers from just about every program in the market for a transfer portal wide receiver.

Standing at 6’3″ and weighing over 200 pounds, Edwards is a big-bodied pass-catcher. He’s got some go-up-and-get-it ability and bounces off of weak tackle attempts with the ball in his hands. However, he also can run. He’s not an absolute burner, but defenders don’t catch him from behind, either. Adding a receiver with size could go a long way for the Gamecocks as the only returning scholarship receiver over 6’0″ tall is rising junior Nyck Harbor.

Edwards’ best yardage output this season came in the season opener against NC State. Thanks largely to a 71-yard score in which he broke multiple tackles, he logged 148 yards on four catches. He also posted three other 100-yard performances, two multi-touchdown games, and caught at least five balls in every game after the NC State contest. Edwards led Conference USA in catches and was third in the league in receiving yardage.

Edwards can do damage in a variety of ways. Louisiana Tech utilized him a lot in the screen game and on underneath passes. He’s also got enough speed to be a deep option. Though he didn’t do so with the Bulldogs, Edwards has return game experience, as well. He profiles similarly to graduating USC receiver Dalevon Campbell but has more tight-space wiggle to his game.

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South Carolina has been involved with a few receivers in the transfer portal this offseason, though, none of those targets seemed to garner too much public mutual traction. The Gamecocks would like to add a veteran receiver (like Edwards) to partner with their returners and talented incoming freshmen. If Edwards were to pick Shane Beamer’s team, he could be a candidate for a major role in 2025.

Edwards’ father Troy was the 1998 Biletnikoff Award winner at Louisiana Tech as the nation’s top wide receiver. He then went on to play in the NFL for seven seasons. The younger Edwards has pro potential and will look to show it at his next stop.

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