South Carolina losing multi-year starting O-lineman to transfer portal

South Carolina offensive lineman Jaylen Nichols has entered the transfer portal, a USC spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.

He’s the 18th portal loss for the Gamecocks this cycle and third offensive lineman. Nichols is in the portal as a grad transfer, according to reports by 247Sports and On3.

Nichols missed the 2023 season due to knee injury sustained during Spring football. The 6-foot-5, 318-pound Charlotte, North Carolina, native appeared in 38 games over four years with the Gamecocks. He started in 18 of those contests — 11 times at left guard, four times at right tackle and three times at left tackle.

USC true freshman Tree Babalade played in 11 games and started nine for the Gamecocks this season at left tackle. Cason Henry, who started at right tackle at the beginning of the 2023 season but missing a couple months due to a knee injury, is also still with the program. South Carolina signed highly rated class of 2024 tackles Josiah Thompson (five stars) and Kam Pringle (four stars) on Wednesday.

South Carolina portal losses

QB Tanner Bailey

QB Colten Gauthier

RB Mario Anderson (Memphis)

OL JonDarius Morgan (UAB)

OL Grayson Mains

OL Jaylen Nichols

WR Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. (Ole Miss)

WR O’Mega Blake (East Carolina)

WR Landon Samson

WR Zavier Short

WR Kylic Horton

DL Xzavier McLeod

DL Felix Hixon

DL D’Andre Martin (Charlotte)

DL Donovan Westmoreland

DB Kajuan Banks

DB Isaiah Norris

K Mitch Jeter (Notre Dame)