Defensive starter Justin Okoronkwo set to return to South Carolina for 2026 season
South Carolina football will welcome back a defensive starter for next season, per a report from On3’s Pete Nakos. According to Nakos, linebacker Justin Okoronkwo has re-signed with the Gamecocks. He will be back in garnet and black for his second year in 2026.
Okoronkwo transferred from Alabama following his true freshman season in 2024. The former three-star prospect out of Germany will be a junior next fall.
After a year of being a special teams contributor and a reserve at Alabama, Okoronkwo quickly became a starter in Columbia. Playing in 12 overall games with eight starts, the linebacker registered 64 total tackles and four tackles for loss. He also knocked away a pass and picked off another at the goal line against Vanderbilt.
Nicknamed “JO,” Okoronkwo plays with physicality and toughness, and he has shown an ability to be very useful in the blitz game, both as the primary pass rusher and as an excellent decoy man.
- 1
⚾ State of the search
Chris Clark's Insider Report
- 2
Candidate Intel ⚾
Details on several candidates
- 3
Hot Board 1.0
Early names to watch
- 4
Depth chart debate
Chris, JC, and Wes
- 5Live
3 months for $1 🔥🔥
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Get the On3 Top 10 Newsletter in your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
South Carolina Transfer Portal Resources:
- Portal Headquarters (The latest news in one place!)
- Portal Target Watchlist
- Portal tracker (Commits and Exits)
- On3 National Portal Ticker
- Get portal news notifications with the App
- Subscribe to GamecockCentral for $1!
South Carolina has lost three scholarship linebackers this offseason to the transfer portal, as both Jaron Willis and Taeshawn Alston announced their intentions of leaving the program and former walk-on Colin Bryant exhausted the last of his collegiate eligibility.
With Okoronkwo’s return, the Gamecocks will have eight scholarship players at the linebacker position, barring any additional offseason movement.
Redshirt senior Shawn Murphy and junior Fred “JayR” Johnson return as the other primary players at the position. Rising sophomore Donovan Darden and rising redshirt freshmen AJ Holloway and Josh Smith return, as well. Then, in the class of 2026, four-star Andrew Harris and three-star Keenan Britt will convert from being high school EDGE players to play linebacker at USC.