In a major move for the South Carolina defense, they’ve added a promising talent to their roster. Justin Okoronkwo, a linebacker who played for Alabama during the 2024 season, has announced his commitment to the Gamecocks, sharing the news on social media Friday.
“New Home!!!” Okoronkwo wrote in a post featuring an edited image of him wearing a South Carolina jersey.
New Home !!!🤙🏾🐓@CoachSBeamer @CoachClaytonW @PPIRecruits @BCollierPPI @JoshAlaeze pic.twitter.com/NU6vsukqaj
— Justin Okoronkwo (@Okoronkw1Justin) January 10, 2025
Okoronkwo made an impact in his lone season with the Crimson Tide, playing in all 13 games. He totaled 14 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss, with a season-high five tackles in Alabama’s dominant 34-0 win over Missouri on October 26.
Ranked as the No. 341 overall prospect and No. 14 linebacker in the transfer portal by 247Sports, Okoronkwo is the 11th transfer to commit to Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks this offseason. He also becomes the second linebacker, joining Shawn Murphy, who transferred from Florida State.
Okoronkwo’s journey to football is unique. Born in Munich, Germany, he initially focused on soccer and gymnastics before discovering football later in his development. Despite still refining his instincts, his physical attributes are undeniable, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 228 pounds, with a reported 40-yard dash time of 4.5 seconds.
At South Carolina, Okoronkwo will bolster a defense that ranked 12th in scoring defense among 134 FBS teams, allowing only 18.1 points per game in 2024. The Gamecocks also finished tied for 10th in sacks (41) and tied for 27th in tackles for loss (87), making Okoronkwo’s addition a promising boost to an already stout defense.
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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.
