Former Gamecocks Blanton, Howard drawing rave reviews with their new SEC teams

This past year, few teams in America endured more turnover by way of the transfer portal than South Carolina.

The Gamecocks not only added 22 guys from the transfer portal, but lost 25 players to the portal following the season. A majority of those 25 transferred out of necessity, down in the depth chart with a tough time seeing the field at South Carolina.

But a few chose to leave behind a major role at South Carolina and hit the portal anyway.

The most significant transfer of the Gamecocks offseason was wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells leaving for Ole Miss, a contentious departure that USC coach Shane Beamer did not want to speak about at SEC Media Days.

But two other major contributors left South Carolina, in part, to get back closer to home.

Linebacker Stone Blanton transferred to Mississippi State, which will now trim his family’s drive on Saturdays from 600 miles to about 120. The junior started every game for South Carolina last season, racking up 52 tackles and a game-saving pick-six against Jacksonville State.

Another linebacker, Grayson “Pup” Howard, also left South Carolina to go to his home state. Howard, a Jacksonville native, announced in January that he was heading to Florida after playing in nearly every game during his 2023 freshman season.

Some of Blanton and Howard’s new teammates were at SEC Media Days this week in Dallas, raving about what the former Gamecocks have provided since transferring in.

Mississippi State linebacker John Lewis said, even though Blanton has been on campus for just a couple months, he’s already giving tips and advice to teammates on the field.

“He helps us a lot. Like some things that I don’t know, he’ll just help me better understand the game,” Lewis said. “I kind of go off him.”

Said Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby: “Stone Blanton, has played at a really high level, has played inside this league, knows what it’s supposed to look like.”

Florida linebacker junior Shemar James was one of the first to call Howard upon hearing he was becoming a part of the LBs room.

“I feel like he wanted to be home and especially to be a Gator,” James said of Howard. “He’s brought physicality and just a will to win.”

Oddly, South Carolina does not play either Mississippi State or Florida this season. But, in what will be one of the most-anticipated games of the season, Wells and Ole Miss will visit Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 5.

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