Who were South Carolina football’s top performing transfers in 2021? The top five

South Carolina football has been busy in the transfer portal this offseason.

USC head coach Shane Beamer secured Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler and tight end Austin Stogner, as well as top-performing James Madison wide receiver Antwane Wells, among three other transfers headlining the 2022 class.

Even before the portal began swarming with athletes looking for new college football homes, South Carolina football has been grabbing transfers who have made impacts on the Gamecocks’ program.

Here are five of the top-performing USC football players from the 2021 season who transferred to Columbia after starting their college football careers with other programs.

1. Jaylan Foster, S, Gardner-Webb (2016)

Jaylan Foster’s journey to an All-American season at South Carolina started in the FCS, where he played a season at Gardner-Webb and earned Big South Freshman of the Year honors in 2016.

Foster’s well-documented story at USC starts with three seasons on the team as a walk-on from 2017-19. He sat out 2017 for his transfer year and worked with the scout team before seeing minimal playing time in 2018 and 2019.

Foster was placed on scholarship during fall camp of 2020 and finished fourth on the team with 43 tackles. Electing to take a sixth year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to COVID-19, Foster led the country this year with five regular-season interceptions. He was the Gamecocks’ leading tackler in 2021, finishing the season with 96 total stops en route to a Walter Camp Second-Team All-America honor.

2. ZaQuandre White, RB, Florida State (2017-18) and Iowa Western C.C. (2019)

Before he was the Gamecocks’ leading rusher in 2021, ZaQuandre White started his college career at Florida State. Originally a running back out of North Fort Myers High School (Florida), White moved to linebacker in 2018, the only season he’d see on-field action for the Seminoles.

White returned to running back in 2019 when he transferred to Iowa Western Community College for a season in junior college, finishing the year as a first team NJCAA All-American. He transferred to South Carolina in 2020 and broke out in 2021.

White accumulated 785 all-purpose yards (583 rushing, 202 receiving) and five touchdowns last season before declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft in December.

3. Jabari Ellis, DL, Georgia Military College (2016-17)

Jabari Ellis spent two years at Georgia Military College before embarking on a four-year career at South Carolina.

Ellis chose to play a sixth year of college football and saw one of his most productive seasons, finishing the year with 41 total stops, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and his sole touchdown as a Gamecock.

Ellis left the Gamecocks on a high note with a dominant performance in USC’s win over North Carolina in the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl. He finished the day with five total tackles and a 10-yard sack that helped the Gamecocks’ defense gain momentum over the Tar Heels early.

4. Jason Brown, QB, St. Francis (Pa.) (2017-20)

Jason Brown isn’t on South Carolina’s roster anymore, as he elected to transfer to Virginia Tech after the Gamecocks signed Rattler.

Brown came to South Carolina in 2021 after four years on the roster at FCS St. Francis (Pennsylvania). He redshirted in 2017 and had a small role in 2018 before leading the Northeast Conference in passing yards and passing touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2019. St. Francis did not play a fall football season in 2020.

The FCS transfer left an impact on the Gamecocks’ 2021 season, as one of four USC quarterbacks to record a win. He played an important role in leading South Carolina to upset victories over Florida and Auburn, solidifying a bowl berth in Beamer’s first year as head coach.

5. Nick Muse, TE, William & Mary (2017-18)

Nick Muse also elected for an extra year in Columbia after coming from an FCS school.

Muse spent the first two years of his playing career at William & Mary, where he earned third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors before heading to USC. He earned eligibility at South Carolina in the second game of 2019. This year, he was the Gamecocks’ top returning receiver from 2020 with 425 yards on 30 catches as a senior.

Muse was a key factor for the Gamecocks once again in 2021, totaling 222 yards on 20 catches with two touchdowns in his final year of college eligibility.