ACC transfer receiver commits to Gamecocks
South Carolina and new head coach Shane Beamer have landed their first commitment from the transfer portal — former Georgia Tech wide receiver Ahmarean Brown announced his pledge to the Gamecocks on Instagram on Thursday.
At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, the Tampa native caught 33 passes for 619 yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons with the Yellow Jackets.
He was the team’s top pass catcher in 2019, averaging 18.9 yards per catch and reaching the end zone seven times to tie the program’s freshman record set by Calvin Johnson.
In eight games this past year, his yards per catch average stayed steady at 18.6, but his catches and touchdowns both declined. He did throw and run for scores as well, becoming the first GT player to throw, catch and rush for touchdowns in a single season since 2007. He entered the transfer portal Dec. 11.
Out of high school, Brown was considered a three-star prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings, as the No. 661 recruit in the country and No. 86 wide receiver. He did not pick up a South Carolina offer at the time, but he did receive scholarship offers from Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan and Virginia Tech, among others. He was committed to Maryland at one point, before joining up with the Yellow Jackets after coach Geoff Collins was hired.
Brown’s commitment helps to shore up a wide receiver corps that is woefully short on proven playmakers. Senior Shi Smith, who is headed to the NFL, led the unit in 2020 with 57 catches, 633 yards and four touchdowns. No other Gamecock WR had more than 11 receptions, 113 yards or one touchdown.
Brown will have several other newcomers joining South Carolina alongside him — high school signees O’Mega Blake and Sam Reynolds are both three-star prospects set to come to Columbia. With that trio, USC is at 11 scholarship wide receivers, 13 if juniors Randrecous Davis and OrTre Smith return after opting out of the 2020 season.
South Carolina football roster tracker 2021
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 who walked on Senior Day
Will Register — tight end
Chandler Farrell — tight end/defensive lineman
Adam Prentice — fullback
Keir Thomas — defensive lineman
Transfers out
Makius Scott — freshman defensive lineman (going to Georgia Tech)
Shilo Sanders — redshirt freshman defensive back (going to Jackson State)
John Dixon — sophomore defensive back (going to Penn State)
Transfer portal
Ryan Hilinski — sophomore quarterback
Jammie Robinson — sophomore defensive back
COULD BE COMING BACK (11)
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
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 (59)
Quarterback (1)
Luke Doty, freshman
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)
Jabari Ellis, senior
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 back (6)
Jaylin Dickerson, redshirt junior
Cam Smith, redshirt freshman
Joey Hunter, freshman
Dominick Hill, freshman
O’Donnell Fortune, freshman
Darius Rush, redshirt sophomore
Specialist (3)
Parker White — kicker
Kai Kroeger, freshman, punter
Mitch Jeter, freshman, kicker
INCOMING (11)
Commitments (10)
Colton Gauthier — quarterback
Caleb McDowell — running back
O’Mega Blake — wide receiver
Sam Reynolds — wide receiver
JonDarius Morgan — offensive lineman
Jordan Davis — offensive lineman
T.J. Sanders — defensive lineman
Nicholas Barrett — defensive lineman
Marcellas Dial — defensive back
Isaiah Norris — defensive back
Transfers (1)
Ahmarean Brown — wide receiver (coming from Georgia Tech)
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 1:55 PM with the headline "ACC transfer receiver commits to Gamecocks."
