Alabama transfer linebacker signs with South Carolina
South Carolina has taken another former SEC player out of the transfer portal.
On Friday morning, Alabama transfer linebacker Justin Okoronkwo signed with South Carolina, joining Florida State linebacker Shawn Murphy as the second transfer linebacker to commit to the Gamecocks this offseason.
South Carolina announced his signing shortly after his commitment announcement.
A native of Munich, Germany, Okoronkwo signed with Alabama as a three-star prospect in December 2023.
Despite Nick Saban retiring and Kalen DeBoer coming in, Okoronkwo played immediately. The 6-foot-3, 228-pound freshman played a decent amount for the Crimson Tide, tallying 14 tackles on the season.
Okoronkwo and Murphy will join a wide-open South Carolina linebacker room — both with a chance to start immediately. The Gamecocks lost both its starters — Debo Williams and Demetrius Knight — and may also lose a major contributor in Bam Martin-Scott, who is trying to appeal for another year of eligibility.
If the NCAA denies Martin-Scott’s request, the Gamecocks would be without its top three linebackers heading into 2025. Coaches and teammates have raved about freshman Fred Johnson, and he seems like a good bet to earn a starting spot.
Regardless, Okoronkwo and Murphy will be able to compete for playing time right away.
South Carolina’s transfer portal additions for 2025
- QB — Air Noland (Ohio State)
- RB — Rahsul Faison (Utah State)
- OL — Nick Sharpe (Wake Forest)
- OL — Rodney Newsom Jr. (Western Kentucky)
- OL — Boaz Stanley (Troy)
- TE — Jordan Dingle (Kentucky)
- Edge — Jaylen Brown (Missouri)
- DT — Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (Texas A&M)
- LB — Shawn Murphy (FSU)
- LB — Justin Okoronkwo (Alabama)
- CB — Myles Norwood (Ball State)
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 11:21 AM.
