Four-star tight end Jamel Howse has officially decommitted from South Carolina, he told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Sunday — a report that Howse later confirmed on social media.
The Newberry High School standout had been one of the earliest members of the Gamecocks’ 2026 recruiting class, committing to his home-state team more than a year ago.
Standing 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Howse is ranked the No. 307 overall player in the nation, No. 14 tight end, and the No. 7 prospect in South Carolina, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
His decision comes amid South Carolina’s offensive struggles this season, which prompted head coach Shane Beamer to fire offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley and move tight ends coach Shawn Elliott into that role. Back in June, Howse told GamecockCentral that he was “100% locked in” with USC and shared that his connection with Elliott was “tight.”
With Howse’s departure, the Gamecocks’ 2026 class now sits at 15 commitments, ranking 17th nationally in Rivals’ team standings.
South Carolina does, however, still have one tight end in the fold — Caden Ramsey, another in-state four-star prospect who committed in September.
