Shilo Sanders enters transfer portal, leaving South Carolina
Shilo Sanders is leaving the South Carolina football program.
A team spokesman confirmed to The State on Monday that Sanders has entered his name in the transfer portal.
The redshirt freshman defensive back is the son of Deion Sanders, the Hall of Fame cornerback who was named the new head coach at FCS Jackson State in September. The elder Sanders has made a splash on the recruiting trail, picking up several high-profile recruits for the HBCU program. That includes his son and Shilo’s younger brother, Shedeur Sanders, a four-star senior quarterback in high school, who flipped his committed in November to play for his dad.
Shilo Sanders was a three-star recruit coming out of Trinity Christian School in Texas. He appeared in four games as a freshman in 2019 before redshirting, making one tackle in limited action.
This year, Sanders emerged as a more regular contributor in the Gamecocks’ secondary, appearing in nine games with 32 tackles and one pass breakup.
Sanders is the third South Carolina defensive back set to leave the 2020 roster — juniors Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu have both declared for the NFL draft. Another secondary member, junior RJ Roderick, opted out of the season after coach Will Muschamp was fired but has not indicated whether he will return to USC in 2021.
SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL ROSTER TRACKER
Not coming back, or likely not coming back
Declared for the NFL Draft
Israel Mukuamu — junior cornerback
Jaycee Horn — junior cornerback
Ernest Jones — junior linebacker
Shi Smith — senior wide receiver
Sadarius Hutcherson — senior offensive lineman
Seniors or juniors who walked on Senior Day
Will Register — tight end
Chandler Farrell — tight end/defensive lineman
Adam Prentice — fullback
Parker White — kicker
Keir Thomas — defensive lineman
Transfers out
Makius Scott — freshman defensive lineman (going to Georgia Tech)
Transfer portal
Shilo Sanders — redshirt freshman defensive back
Could be coming back (12)
Opt-outs (4)
Randrecous Davis — junior wide receiver
OrTre Smith — junior wide receiver
Mark Fox — redshirt freshman offensive lineman
R.J. Roderick — junior defensive back
Seniors who didn’t walk on Senior Day (8)
Collin Hill — quarterback
Jaylan Foster — defensive back
Spencer Eason-Riddle — linebacker
Jabari Ellis — defensive lineman
Aaron Sterling — defensive lineman
Damani Staley — linebacker
Sherrod Greene — linebacker
Nick Muse — tight end (Note: Muse participated in Senior Day activities, but when asked if he planned to return, he said he wasn’t sure and added that if position coach Bobby Bentley returned, he would too.)
Set to come back (60)
QUARTERBACK (2)
Luke Doty, freshman
Ryan Hilinski, sophomore
RUNNING BACK (5)
Kevin Harris, sophomore
Deshaun Fenwick, redshirt sophomore
Rashad Amos, freshman
MarShawn Lloyd, freshman
ZaQuandre White, redshirt junior
WIDE RECEIVER (8)
Josh Vann, junior
Dakereon Joyner, redshirt sophomore
Xavier Legette, sophomore
Jalen Brooks, junior
Rico Powers, freshman
Ger-Cari Caldwell, freshman
Chad Terrell, redshirt junior
Mike Wyman, freshman
Trey Adkins, redshirt sophomore (walk-on)
Ben Rollins, freshman (walk-on)
TIGHT END (5)
Traevon Kenion, redshirt freshman
Jaheim Bell, freshman
Eric Shaw, freshman
Keveon Mullins, redshirt freshman
KeShawn Toney, redshirt freshman
OFFENSIVE LINE (14)
Jordan Rhodes, redshirt junior
Eric Douglas, redshirt junior
Dylan Wonnum, junior
Jazston Turnetine, junior
Jaylen Nichols, sophomore
Jovaughn Gwyn, redshirt sophomore
Jakai Moore, redshirt freshman
Tyshawn Wannamaker, freshman
Hank Manos, redshirt sophomore
Trai Jones, freshman
Vincent Murphy, redshirt freshman
Vershon Lee, freshman
Wyatt Campbell, redshirt sophomore
Will Rogers, redshirt freshman
DEFENSIVE LINE (13)
Jordan Burch, freshman
Brad Johnson, redshirt junior
Rodricus Fitten, redshirt freshman
Gilber Edmond, freshman
Zacch Pickens, sophomore
Kingsley Enagbare, junior
Rick Sandidge, junior
Tonka Hemingway, freshman
Tyreek Johnson, redshirt sophomore
Joseph Anderson, redshirt freshman
M.J. Webb, redshirt junior
Alex Huntley, freshman
Devontae Davis, redshirt junior
LINEBACKER (3)
Mohamed Kaba, freshman
Jahmar Brown, sophomore
Rosendo Louis Jr., redshirt sophomore
Noah Vincent (walk-on), redshirt sophomore
Darryle Ware (walk-on), freshman
DEFENSIVE BACKS (9)
Jammie Robinson, sophomore
Jaylin Dickerson, redshirt junior
Cam Smith, redshirt freshman
Joey Hunter, freshman
Dominick Hill, freshman
John Dixon, sophomore
O’Donnell Fortune, freshman
Darius Rush, redshirt sophomore
SPECIALISTS (2)
Kai Kroeger, freshman, punter
Mitch Jeter, freshman, kicker
Commitments (10)
Colton Gauthier — quarterback
Caleb McDowell — running back
O’Mega Blake — wide receiver
Sam Reynolds — wide receiver
Derwin Burgess Jr. — wide receiver
JonDarius Morgan — offensive lineman
Jordan Davis — offensive lineman
T.J. Sanders — defensive lineman
Nicholas Barrett — defensive lineman
Marcellas Dial — defensive back
This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 3:46 PM.
