South Carolina has secured a major defensive addition from the NCAA Transfer Portal. Former Grambling State linebacker Andrew Jones has committed to the Gamecocks, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.
Jones had an outstanding season, earning second-team FCS All-American honors. He recorded 122 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Impressively, his 122 tackles were 73 more than any other player on the Grambling State roster.
In addition to his second-team FCS All-American honors, Andrew Jones was named the SWAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, capping off a stellar season.
Andrew Jones had a breakout season for Grambling State in 2024 after appearing in only two games last year. He came to play for the Tigers after starting his college career with the Memphis Tigers
Jones signed with Memphis as a three-star recruit in the class of 2021, per the On3 Industry Rankings. He redshirted his first season on campus before appearing in 10 games in 2022. He finished that year with four tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble.
Andrew Jones is joining a South Carolina team that is having an excellent season in 2024. The Gamecocks enter bowl season with nine wins and have won six straight games after a 3-3 start.
The South Carolina defense helped lead the turnaround as the Gamecocks were excellent on defense while relying on several transfers this season. They are hoping that Jones can step in and be an impact player on the defensive side of the ball in 2025.
