COLUMBIA — South Carolina football is about to begin its 2024 season, and after two transfer portal cycles in the winter and spring, coach Shane Beamer has new faces on his roster in addition to the freshman class.

The Gamecocks are without Spencer Rattler and Xavier Legette, the quarterback and receiver duo who led South Carolina's offense last season and now play in the NFL. Beamer named redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers the next starting quarterback in May.

Here are five players to look out for who will be playing their first game for South Carolina this season:

Dylan Stewart, Edge

The 6-foot-6, 248-pound defender was a five-star recruit out of high school and has great strength and explosiveness. Stewart stood out in the spring game, during which he had one sack and three tackles for a loss.

He was the No. 1 recruit out of Washington, D.C., and was the No. 2 Edge in his recruiting class. Stewart chose South Carolina over a lengthy list of schools including Georgia, Ohio State and Alabama.

Mazeo Bennett Jr., Wide Receiver

The four-star freshman wide receiver from Greenville could fill a large hole in the downfield passing game for the Gamecocks. Without Legette, South Carolina's new star receiver is a mystery, but Bennett's talent may be the answer.

He had two receptions in the spring game and Beamer spoke highly of Bennett's performance over the spring season.

Josiah Thompson, Offensive Lineman

Thompson, a freshman, joins a position group in need of a revamp after the line was plagued by injuries in 2023.

In high school, Thompson mainly played left tackle, and his four-star grade by 247Sports is representative of his blocking abilities, athleticism and explosiveness.

He may become an immediate spark in a dull offensive line room.

Rocket Sanders, Running Back

The transfer running back from Arkansas is expected to lead South Carolina's offense. Beamer spoke highly of his recovery from shoulder surgery after a December 2023 injury at SEC Media Days last week and said he will be ready to go in August.

In 2022, Sanders rushed for 1,443 yards with 10 touchdowns and had 28 receptions for 271 yards with two touchdowns.

There's a lot riding on Sanders. Beamer claimed nobody is hungrier to get back to his 2022 numbers than Sanders is, which means he likely will control most of the run game for the Gamecocks.

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Kyle Kennard, Edge

Kennard, a 6-5, 254-pound transfer from Georgia Tech, is another great addition via the portal. He comes to Columbia with 115 career tackles, including 21.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. He's in his fifth year of college football so he brings size and experience on defense.

Out of high school, he was a four-star recruit and the No. 15 edge in his recruiting class.

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina football: 5 of Shane Beamer's newcomers to watch in 2024