Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 57-0vs Kent State | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | |
| Wk 2 | W 45-9vs Towson | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | |
| Wk 3 | L 34-41vs Mississippi State | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | Season-high 16 yds |
| Total | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 | 16 |
#1
Nitro Tuggle
Nitro Tuggle packed up and started over at South Carolina, and the new tape already reads No.102 4★, national recruit.
6′1″ · 195 lb · Elkhart, IN
CFB Index 49 · #238 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceTransferred Purdue → South Carolina for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
31
receiving yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 16 yds, vs Mississippi State
The play that turned itSwung Purdue from 50% to 85% to win.Rutgers at Purdue · 27-24
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior wide receiver for South Carolina. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Georgia in 2024.
- Transferred from Purdue to South Carolina in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans hotter than the country
His own fans read him warmer than the wider college football conversation does — a gap of 25.6 points in belief.
25.6own fans
0national conversation
I mean…who is there to take? Our receivers have pretty bad tape because they can’t catch the ball consistently, our defense isn’t strong at any level, and our QB is a young gunslinger that makes terrible decisions. I’d be more concerned…
Also worth knowing:
Nitro Tuggle
On Trialas of 2026-09-22
Nitro Tuggle arrives at South Carolina with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
31REC YDS3REC0REC TD
4★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT
No.102
recruiting national rank
South Carolina fans can't agree whether the tape backs the reputation.
medium confidence7 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-22
His career
The week the volume broke through — put up 80 yds vs Indiana.Indiana · L 3-562025
2024
- Signed with Georgia4-star out of Northwood
202512 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
20263 games
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
South Carolina
Played his entire career under Shane Beamer.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to South Carolina
2025Purdue
2026South Carolina
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | South Carolina | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Purdue | 34 | 505 | 14.9 | 4 | -- |
| 2024 | Georgia | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 40 | 570 | 14.2 | 4 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | South Carolina | 1 | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Purdue | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Georgia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | 4 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Nitro Tuggle's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 45–9
vs Towson
1 rec · 10 yds
Dominant 36-point win at home against Towson.
With L. Sellers — 96 yds · 0 TD · 1 INT · 119 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD · M. Fuller — 125 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +16 receiving yards, +1 catch.
Season context · Team result + system
2024Georgia11-3HC: Kirby Smart · Pass-leaning
2025Purdue2-10HC: Barry Odom · Balanced
2026South Carolina2-1HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 1.0 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 1.0 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Shane Beamer
Pass share
45.6%
99 pass / 118 run
Plays / game
72.3
3 games
Team sack rate
5.4%
111 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Beats you over the top.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Deep Threat
Stretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Keyshawn Smith’s 2023 season.
Matches Keyshawn on
Yards / reception
Weight
Reception volume
Differs from Keyshawn on
Class year (lower)
Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Will Vereen’s path through South Carolina State.
Matches Will on
Yards per reception
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Cam Vaughn's sophomore season at West Virginia (2025).
82%match
All-Conference USA
Matches Cam on
Total EPA (college ability)
EPA / play (adj)
Yards / reception
Player DNA
Players who play like Nitro Tuggle
The receiver room · South Carolina
- #8Nyck Harbor618 receiving yards · 2025
- #1Nitro Tuggle505 receiving yards · 2025
- #17Jayden Sellers337 receiving yards · 2025
- #83DJ Black273 receiving yards · 2025
- #6Donovan Murph197 receiving yards · 2025
9 more on the roster · South Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology