South Carolina LB Bam Martin-Scott announced Friday night he will be entering his name into the NFL Draft ending his pursuit for another season of eligibility with the Gamecocks.
Martin-Scott, a native of Fort Wayne, IN, began his career in junior college and had hoped to take advantage of a new NCAA rule granting another season of eligibility to junior college players whose eligibility ended in 2024-25.
He had entered a waiver to the NCAA for a seventh season but has decided to move on with his career rather than wait on a ruling from the NCAA.
This season Martin-Scott had 67 tackles with nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. For his four seasons with the Gamecocks, he totaled 121 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Here’s more on Martin-Scott from his USC bio:
*2024 Honorable Mention All-SEC (College Football Nation)
*2024 Most Improved Player of the Spring – Defense
Linebacker who logged four seasons with the Gamecocks and six overall… began his career at Dodge City (Kan.) C.C. where he spent two years.. versatile player who is long and athletic… rangy and instinctive player who can blitz and cover… appeared in 40 career games for the Garnet & Black with nine starts… collected 121 career tackles at the D-1 level with 14.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
2024 (Super Senior)
Sixth-year linebacker who appeared in all 13 games making six starts… named honorable mention All-SEC by College Football Nation… ranked third on the squad with 67 tackles including 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks… also forced two fumbles, recovered one and broke up a pair of passes… consistently productive player who had at least three tackles in 12 of 13 games… forced a fumble in the season opener against Old Dominion… turned in his best performance with an 11-tackle effort at Oklahoma that included 1.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery… collected seven tackles at Vanderbilt and at Clemson… had 2.0 TFLs and a sack in the Palmetto Bowl win over the Tigers… had six stops against both Kentucky and Texas A&M… recognized as the Most Improved Player of the Spring for the defense at the Garnet & Black Spring Game.
2023 (Redshirt Senior)
Appeared in 10 contests making three starts… played in just one of the first three games… saw his playing time increase as the season progressed and the Gamecocks moved into more of a 3-3-5 defensive set rather than their base 4-2-5… started each of the final three games, his first starts at Carolina… credited with 38 tackles including 32 over the final four games… logged 4.0 tackles for loss with a pair of sacks, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup… posted a career-best 13 tackles in the win over Vanderbilt, including a sack… had never registered more than four tackles in a game prior to that performance… logged 10 tackles with a tackle for loss versus Clemson.
2022 (Reshirt Junior)
Appeared in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams… credited with 16 tackles including 10 solo stops… had an interception and three pass breakups… notched his lone tackle for loss against Georgia… recorded his first interception in the win over South Carolina State… posted a career-high four tackles and forced his first career fumble at Florida.
2021 (Junior)
Joined the team in August after spending two years at Dodge City (Kan.) C.C… appeared in four games on special teams… saw action against Kentucky, Texas A&M, Auburn and Clemson… did not record any statistics… redshirted.
2020 (Sophomore)
Spent his second year at Dodge City (Kan.) C.C… the Conquistadors did not play in the fall of 2020 due to COVID-19.
2019 (Freshman)
Earned honorable mention all-KJCCC honors at Dodge City (Kan.) C.C… coached by Ricky Coon.