South Carolina quarterback expected to enter transfer portal

South Carolina redshirt freshman quarterback Tanner Bailey is expected to enter the transfer portal, GamecockCentral confirmed.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder played in one game this season after redshirting last year.

South Carolina Transfer Portal Resources:

• South Carolina Target Watchlist
• South Carolina Portal Tracker
• On3 National Portal Tracker 
• Get portal news notifications with the App

A former four-star prospect, the Gordo (Ala.) graduate signed with South Carolina as part of the 2022 class.

The On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average of the four major recruiting media services, ranked Bailey as the No. 347 overall prospect in his class, the No. 19 quarterback, and the No. 14 prospect in Alabama.

Tanner Bailey South Carolina Bio

Young, talented player who is still learning the position… figures to be in the mix for the backup role behind incumbent starter Spencer Rattler… a natural thrower… has worked hard in the weight room to transform his body… can run well enough to protect himself to extend the play, but more of a true pocket passer… has a high football IQ and mental makeup.

2022 (Freshman)
Redshirted in his first season in Columbia… did not appear in any games… made several road trips with the squad as the third quarterback… named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from Gordo (Ala.) High School in 2022… completed 131-of-217 passes for 2,401 yards and 33 touchdowns with nine interceptions as a senior while leading the Green Wave to a 9-3 record… played the first six games of his junior season in 2020 before suffering a collarbone injury, but returned for the final four games of the season… completed 60 percent of his throws with 32 TDs and just five interceptions, helping the Green Wave to a 13-2 record and an Alabama 4A state runner-up finish… threw for over 8,600 yards and 104 touchdowns during a four-year prep career… coached by Ryan Lolley… two-sport standout who also played baseball… appeared as the DH for Gordo’s state championship baseball team as a seventh grader… ranked as the 11th-best player in the state of Alabama, the 14th-best quarterback in the country and No. 220 overall according to 247Sports Composite rankings… considered the 12th-best player in the Yellowhammer State, the 11th-best pro-style quarterback in the country and No. 225 overall according to Rivals… rated No. 132 on the ESPN300.

PERSONAL
Joshua Tanner Bailey was born Dec. 26, 2002… is a criminology and criminal justice major.

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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