Linebacker Stone Blanton, a South Carolina starter, enters transfer portal
South Carolina is losing one of its key defensive players.
Linebacker Stone Blanton announced late Saturday night that he is entering the transfer portal. He was a starter for the Gamecocks as a sophomore this season and finished the year with 52 tackles.
“It has been an honor to suit up in the garnet and black for the past two years,” Blanton said in a social media post announcing his decision. “I will cherish the memories and relationships I’ve built forever.”
He’s the Gamecocks’ 19th portal loss this cycle and sixth starter. USC has signed eight from the transfer portal but none at linebacker. They did sign two incoming freshmen at the position: Wendell Gregory and Fred Johnson.
Blanton will have two years of eligibility remaining.
He arrived at USC as a football and baseball standout but decided to concentrate on football for the Gamecocks. He appeared in 12 games as a freshman and was a fixture for the Gamecocks linebacker group in 2023.
One of Blanton’s biggest plays this season came against Jacksonville State when he returned an interception 88 yards for a touchdown to help seal the 38-28 win on Nov. 4.
“That was pretty special,” Blanton said after the game. “We studied that play a lot during the week. We had seen that play before. ... He threw it, I caught and kind of took off. It was kind of a surreal moment.”
Blanton’s departure could mean Grayson “Pup” Howard slides into the starting role next year. Howard appeared in 11 games as a true freshman this season.
South Carolina also will get Mo Kaba back. Kaba missed the majority of the season after suffering an ACL injury.
Blanton was a Top 300 prospect by ESPN coming out of Mason-Ridgeland in Mississippi. He was a finalist for the high school Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker in the country.
Blanton played in the Under Armour All-American game and led his high school team with 125 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Blanton picked the Gamecocks over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, a rare move for someone from Mississippi.
But Blanton talked about the relationship he built with USC coaching staff and what the Gamecocks are trying to build under coach Shane Beamer.
“I love the coaching staff here and I love what coach Beamer and coach (Clayton) White were telling me. I feel like home being here,” Blanton told The State in August of 2022. “Getting to know them during the recruiting process, I really feel I could trust them and I love the program they are building. It has great upside.”
South Carolina portal losses
QB Tanner Bailey
QB Colten Gauthier
RB Mario Anderson (Memphis)
OL JonDarius Morgan (UAB)
OL Grayson Mains
OL Jaylen Nichols
WR Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. (Ole Miss)
WR O’Mega Blake (East Carolina)
WR Landon Samson
WR Zavier Short
WR Kylic Horton
DL Xzavier McLeod (Georgia)
DL Felix Hixon
DL D’Andre Martin (Charlotte)
DL Donovan Westmoreland
LB Stone Blanton
DB Kajuan Banks
DB Isaiah Norris
K Mitch Jeter (Notre Dame)
This story was originally published December 23, 2023 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Linebacker Stone Blanton, a South Carolina starter, enters transfer portal."
