Jacarrius Peak injury update: Report reveals potential injury for South Carolina OT

South Carolina offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak, who transferred in from NC State this offseason, has suffered an injury that could keep him sidelined ‘for some time,’ according to InsideTheGamecocks.com‘s JC Shurburtt. The news was reported on Saturday, but the exact injury and severity remain unknown.

This past cycle, Peak was tabbed by On3 as the No. 8 ranked player in the Transfer Portal. He was the No. 2 ranked OT behind Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton, who ended up at LSU.

Per multiple contacts, South Carolina offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak has suffered an injury that could keep him sidelined for some time. No word on the exact nature of it or a timeline for a return, but it doesn’t sound good. Peak was the top tackle in the portal this cycle.…

— JC Shurburtt (@jcshurburtt) February 21, 2026

The injury serves a massive blow to South Carolina‘s offseason. The Gamecocks are coming off a disappointing 4-8 campaign, making the 2026 season extremely important for Shane Beamer and quarterback LaNorris Sellers. It is still February, however, meaning Peak should have more than enough time to recover to be back for Carolina’s season opener against Kent State on Sept. 5.

“That’s a guy you go out and get and we had the resources in order to do so,” South Carolina Director of Player Personnel Darren Uscher told GamecockCentral earlier this month. “We had our eye on him for a long time and obviously he’s the type of player that can be the foundational piece of the program and with our quarterback, we wanted to make sure that his blind side was protected.

“(He’s an) athletic freak. If y’all look at that Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List that Nyck Harbor has been on since he came into college, Peak’s been on that list too. So this is a guy that, although he’s not your 6-6 tackle, long-statured guy, he is so light on his feet, he’s extremely athletic, but he’s got long arms. But he’s also extremely powerful and extremely strong and heavy-handed.”

Jacarrius Peak was one of most sought after players in Transfer Portal

Peak started all 13 of NC State‘s games last season, earning an All-ACC Honorable Mention selection. He ranked as the ACC’s second-highest ranked pass blocker at left tackle and earned an ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week nod. Across his four-year collegiate career, Peak was played in 38 games (32 starts) and is poised to be one of the best offensive tackles in football next season.

On3’s Ari Wasserman labeled Peak as one of his ‘10 most impactful moves in this year’s college football transfer portal window‘ earlier this month.

“After Indiana won the championship last year, we’ve all been in think tanks, analyzing what the Hoosiers did and how it can be duplicated elsewhere. One of the most consistent findings was Indiana’s age and experience. South Carolina found an offensive tackle in Peak, who started 33 games for NC State, a profile that isn’t typically available in the portal. South Carolina has some freaks on its team — like receiver Nyck Harbor and edge rusher Dylan Stewart — and now it has reinforcements on the offensive front to protect LaNorris Sellers during a critical season for the Gamecocks.”