Justin Okoronkwo, a promising young linebacker, only spent one season with Alabama football before deciding to pursue a different opportunity. After the 2024 season, Okoronkwo transferred to South Carolina, entering the transfer portal just before the deadline.
This timing is significant, as it followed the announcements from inside linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson that they would be returning for another season with Alabama. Okoronkwo explained his decision in an interview with The State in South Carolina.
“I felt like the starting spots were already gone,” Okoronkwo said. “And, I mean, it’s hard to compete — especially at a place like Bama — with guys who are more experienced than you.”
Along with the return of Lawson and Jefferson, Alabama also secured Nikhai Hill-Green, a linebacker from Colorado. This made for a crowded room, even with Jihaad Campbell, a 2024 starter, declaring for the NFL Draft.
Faced with tough competition, Okoronkwo decided to seek opportunities elsewhere and found a new home with the Gamecocks. South Carolina needs to replace two starting linebackers for the 2025 season. He also noted that the program’s strength staff played a role in his decision.
“(It’s) very impressive, especially compared to Bama,” Okoronkwo said. “What they are doing there, I really like because it’s way more related to the game. Like what drills they do and what lifts they do. That really stood out to me.”
In his brief time at Alabama, Okoronkwo logged 39 defensive snaps in 2024, including 14 in the Missouri game. The former three-star recruit from Germany is now looking forward to his new chapter with South Carolina.
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South Carolina Secures Tough, Battle-Tested Transfer Portal O-Lineman
On Monday, South Carolina football secured its third transfer portal offensive lineman of the offseason with the commitment and signing of Boaz Stanley, a 12-game starter at Troy this past season.
Stanley, a junior college All-American at Georgia Military in 2022, was sidelined for much of the 2023 season due to injury. However, in 2024, he emerged as a starter for Troy, contributing significantly at both center and right tackle.
In his first year at the FBS level, Stanley allowed only two sacks and committed no penalties in nearly 800 snaps. Although somewhat overlooked in rankings, the 6’4”, 310-pound lineman is a valuable addition.
Stanley, a native of Georgia, is versatile enough to play any position on the offensive line for South Carolina, and his adaptability could lead to competition for multiple starting spots. Given the players the Gamecocks have pursued in the portal, it is likely he will initially play on the interior of the offensive line.
Stanley has two or three years of eligibility remaining, depending on how the NCAA handles former junior college players in the future.
South Carolina’s offensive line had an inconsistent 2024 season, though it showed improvement as the year progressed. The Gamecocks will lose their three interior starters (Vershon Lee, Torricelli Simpkins, and Kamaar Bell) to graduation.
Stanley becomes South Carolina’s ninth transfer portal commitment this cycle. He joins fellow offensive linemen Nick Sharpe (Wake Forest) and Rodney Newsom (Western Kentucky), defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (Texas A&M), linebacker Shawn Murphy (Florida State), tight end Jordan Dingle (Kentucky), EDGE Jaylen Brown (Missouri), defensive back Myles Norwood (Ball State), and quarterback Air Noland (Ohio State).
With Stanley’s commitment, the Gamecocks have successfully met their goal of adding three offensive linemen during this portal cycle.
