Of course, Clemson football fans are always keeping an eye on what the South Carolina Gamecocks are up to. Monday, many were surprised to see that one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal, Prentiss "Air" Noland, committed to play for Clemson's most hated rival according to multiple sources including Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports.
Noland was a true freshman for Ohio State in 2024. He did not play for the Buckeyes this season instead taking the year as a redshirt. Thus, he still has four years of eligibility remaining.
This development made national news, though, because Noland was a blue-chip high school recruit. In the class of 2024, he was a 4-star prospect and the No. 7 quarterback in the nation according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
The Georgia native picked Ohio State over offers from such programs as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Kentucky, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas A&M, Utah, and others. However, now, he's set to call Colombia home.
BREAKING: Ohio State True Freshman transfer QB Air Noland has Committed to South Carolina, he tells @on3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 23, 2024
The 6’2 220 QB will have all 4 years of eligibility remaining
Was ranked as the No. 5 QB in the ‘24 Class (On3 Industry)https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/MgOD3oUOYq
This is an interesting move for the Gamecocks considering their quarterback situation heading into 2025. Next season, they will feature Heisman Trophy contender LaNorris Sellers (who was just a redshirt freshman this fall) as their starting QB.
Sellers was one of the better QBs in the SEC in 2024. Leading the Gamecocks to a 9-3 record, he threw for 2,274 yards and 17 touchdowns with only seven picks while completing 65.4% of his passes. What's more, he ran for 655 yards and seven more scores.
While Sellers could potentially head to the NFL after the 2025 season, he could also remain at South Carolina for up to three more seasons which would relegate Noland to the bench for quite some time. Thus, it is interesting to see that the Gamecocks are willing to make what has to be a significant financial commitment to a player who might not even see the field until 2028.
Of course, if Sellers hangs around Colombia for a while, Noland could decide to hit the portal again. Thus, he might never even face Clemson on the field.
However, it is worth keeping an eye on how the Gamecocks are building their program. That's especially true when they make waves like they did on Monday when they reeled in one of the biggest catches in the transfer portal.