Ole Miss linebacker transfer commits to South Carolina

South Carolina didn’t win the recruiting battle for linebacker Jaron Willis of Leesburg, Georgia when he first committed to Georgia Tech and then signed with Ole Miss for the 2022 class, but the Gamecocks landed him on the transfer rebound.

Willis (6-2, 220) made an official visit to USC over the weekend and this time decided to make Columbia his home, announcing his commitment to Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks on Sunday.

“I really hadn’t seen them in person, so I couldn’t judge them on how they are as a family and with their players. Now that I’ve seen that, it really made my decision easy,” Willis said. “I kind of wish I had had a chance to see it before when I was recruited. Who knows — I could have been a Gamecock. But I’m ready to go.”

He is South Carolina’s seventh transfer portal addition and the first on defense. He was the second portal commitment Sunday, joining offensive lineman Sidney Fugar from Western Illinois.

Willis played in one game this season for the Rebels, and that was against Central Arkansas in September, and did not record any stats. He will have a full four years of eligibility with the Gamecocks.

Willis was a safety in high school but has grown into a linebacker/edge rusher type of player. He was considered a four-star prospect out of Lee County High School.

He’s the second linebacker for the 2023 class, joining high school signee Grayson Howard.

“I’m going to play more of a Will linebacker role, but try to learn all the linebacker spots,” Willis said. “I’ll be physical, very physical, South Georgia mentality. Every time I see the ball, I go hit somebody and make them feel it. You’re going to see a lot of energy and hype, always hyped, just being myself.”

South Carolina 2023 transfer class

• RB Mario Anderson, Newberry

• TE Nick Elksnis, Florida

• TE Trey Knox, Arkansas

• TE Joshua Simon, Western Kentucky

• OL Nick Gargiulo, Yale

• OL Sidney Fugar, Western Illinois

• LB Jaron Willis, Ole Miss