Former South Carolina defensive back DQ Smith is entering the transfer portal, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos.
The news follows multiple recent lawsuits in which former college players are seeking a fifth year of eligibility. Smith, who started most of four seasons with the Gamecocks, was among those players.
Specifically, a court case heard in the state of Louisiana initially granted the defensive back an injunction and, therefore, eligibility for 2026.
However, an appeals court recently sided with the NCAA against a (separate) blanket waiver for class of 2022 signees, somewhat muddying the waters. Smith can enter the transfer portal (and has, per Nakos), but his future eligibility is not certain.
It should be noted, though, that Smith and the other athletes cleared in the Louisiana case are currently eligible. Meanwhile, the NCAA is seemingly fighting back against all of these court decisions.
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During a USC career that included 48 games played and 45 starts, Smith registered 228 tackles and five interceptions. He was a Freshman All-American for the Gamecocks in 2022 and finished his time in garnet and black as a team captain in 2025.
Smith earned training camp invitations this summer from the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns. He did not make any of those teams’ preseason rosters.
As reported previously by GamecockCentral, there has not been a plan in place for South Carolina to bring Smith back into the fold. His entrance into the transfer portal likely indicates he will pursue a fifth year at a different school.
This weekend, the Gamecocks added a transfer portal commitment from Ethan Johnson (Appalachian State), another defensive back initially made eligible because of the Louisiana court case. South Carolina is confident that Johnson will remain eligible to play in 2026.
An additional court date (currently set for August 31) should finalize whether or not the Louisiana verdict sticks. Both Johnson and Smith will be affected by that decision.