Former Alabama running back pledges to South Carolina

Published Jan. 25, 2016 1:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

Over this past weekend, South Carolina took another step towards strengthening its roster -- this time with a former SEC player.

One-time Alabama running back Tyren Jones -- now at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas -- pledged his services to Will Muschamp's program on Sunday.

Jones rushed for 224 yards (a 6.2 yards-per-carry average) and two touchdowns as a redshirt freshman with the Crimson Tide in 2014. Disciplinary problems ultimately led to his dismissal, but he bounced back quite nicely in the junior college ranks.

At 5'10", 217 pounds, Jones is a nice mix of both quickness and power. His shorter, stocky frame enables Jones to hide behind his offensive line -- before bursting forward towards the line of scrimmage.

This is a significant pickup for South Carolina. Not only does Jones help depth-wise in the backfield, but he offers USC a player with tangible SEC experience. With leading rusher Brandon Wilds departing via graduation, it makes the addition of Jones even more important.