South Carolina Football: Former high school All-American no longer with Gamecocks

The transfer portal is not open for underclassman football players at this time (it will open again on April 15th after most teams have gone through the majority of their spring practices), but the South Carolina football program already knows at least one name who will be no longer with the team.

Upon inspecting the official roster on Gamecocksonline.com, Gamecock fans can see that wide receiver Kelton Henderson is no longer listed with his teammates. According to reports from various outlets, that is no accident as Henderson is expected to enter the transfer portal when it opens in May.

Henderson signed with the Gamecocks in the class of 2023 as an Under Armour All-American at the wide receiver position. He was small, and his need for bulking up meant a redshirt was likely. Injuries, though, made that likely outcome a certainty as Henderson was not a factor for USC last fall. Now, he will not be a factor with the program moving forward.

The Gamecocks added 3 receivers through the transfer portal this offseason (Gage Larvadain, Jaren Brown, and Ahmari Huggins-Bruce) and are expected to be in the market for another player or two at the position. They also added 2 freshmen (Mazeo Bennett and Debron Gatling) to the mix, as well, making the wide receiver room a little crowded. The receivers coach who recruited Henderson, Justin Stepp, also is no longer in Columbia after leaving for Illinois upon a move to the tight ends position.

Henderson is far from the first class of 2023 signee to leave the program. Linebacker Grayson "Pup" Howard (transfer portal), tight end/running back Kamron Sandlin (transfer portal), Xzavier McLeod (dismissal), Monteque Rhames (dismissal), and Cameron Upshaw (dismissal) are all no longer Gamecocks. Howard is with the Florida Gators, McLeod is a Georgia Bulldog, and Upshaw played this year at Garden City Community College. Sandlin and Rhames have not yet found a home.