Transfer portal claims first Gamecock of the offseason
Less than one week removed from the end of South Carolina’s 2025 football season, the first Gamecock of the offseason announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Nick Sharpe announced on his X (formerly Twitter) account Wednesday that he intends to enter the transfer portal. The portal doesn’t open until Jan. 2 and will remain open until Jan. 16. Sharpe has one year of eligibility remaining.
Sharpe arrived in Columbia from Wake Forest before the 2025 season. He missed the second half of spring ball with an ankle injury. He played 392 snaps for the Gamecocks primarily as a punt blocker, per Pro Football Focus.
At Wake Forest, Sharpe appeared in 26 games and made 12 starts over four seasons. He started in 10 of 12 games as a redshirt junior with the Demon Deacons. He was awarded a sixth year of eligibility after suffering a season-ending injury in the second game of his redshirt sophomore season in 2023.
Sharpe was a three-star recruit out of Hunter Huss High in North Carolina. He held offers from Charlotte, East Carolina, App State and others. He didn’t have an offer from USC in high school.
While Sharpe is the first confirmed USC player of the offseason planning to enter the transfer portal, he’s not the first Gamecock to announce his transfer plans overall. Sophomore tight end Michael Smith left the team in October, intending to redshirt and enter the portal.
There are some big decisions in store for the Gamecocks with just under a month until players can officially enter the transfer portal.
This story was originally published December 3, 2025 at 11:09 AM.
