Early two-deep projections for South Carolina
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If you’ve been following along since spring practices, you’ve probably seen out post spring series where we did an extensive breakdown on every positional group. With those breakdowns, we shared our thoughts on projected starters.
It might only be June 28, but who doesn’t like a way-too early depth chart that projects this year’s starters?
While it’s difficult to not only crack the starters across the board, I took a stab at projecting the two-deep depth chart. As I said in many of the breakdowns, I think we’ll see changes in the starting rotation at multiple spots. But as far as this exercise goes, we’ll only be looking at Week 1. Below each position are some additional thoughts and a link to each positional room breakdown.
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Quarterback
LaNorris Sellers – Sellers appeared in three games as a true freshmen this past season for the Gamecocks, which allowed him to still redshirt. He completed all four of his pass attempts for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Sellers also rushed for 51 yards on five carries, including a 36-yard touchdown.
Robby Ashford – The Auburn transfer appeared in 22 career games during his time with the Tigers. In those two seasons, he threw for 1,758 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 927 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
**NOTE: There’s no other way to put it. Heading into Week 1, it’s Sellers job to lose. While Ashford wasn’t able to get going much in the spring game, due to last second injury on the offense line, don’t sleep on Ashford. If his number is called, he needs to be ready to go. Regardless of his role in Week 1, I expect him to attack it like he’s the guy. COMPLETE QB ROOM BREAKDOWN
Running Back
Oscar Adaway III – Standing at 5-11, 219 pounds, he ranks fifth all-time in program history for North Texas with 1,935 career rushing yards. This past season Adaway rushed for 738 yards and six touchdowns, while averaging six yards per carry for the Mean Green. He also had 14 catches for 89 yards. Adaway has two years of eligibility remaining.
Djay Braswell – Injuries at running back forced Braswell to burn his redshirt by appearing in six games, including the final four. Rushing for 25 yards on 12 carries, Braswell also had three receptions for 35 yards, including a long of 30 yards. Although not used a lot, he showed off his speed, strength, and ability to block in the pass game.
**NOTE: With Rocket Sanders coming back from a shoulder injury, I don’t anticipate South Carolina using the Arkansas transfer that much Week 1. Letting him ease back into things would make the most sense when thinking about the pig picture on the season. It would also be a golden opportunity to see what else you have in that running back room. COMPLETE RB ROOM BREAKDOWN
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Wide Receiver
Jared Brown – The former Coastal Carolina wide receiver complied over 1,000 all-purpose yards with 58 catches for 740 receiving yards and four touchdowns this past season. Named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America in 2022, Brown stands at 6-0, 190 pounds. He’s appeared in 25 games during his college career. Brown has two years of eligibility remaining.
Nyck Harbor – The former five-star commit appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman this past season. Starting in five games, Harbor hauled in 12 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. A star on the track, Harbor didn’t participate in spring practices but did stay actively around the football facility.
Gage Larvadain – Appearing in 36 games in three seasons at Miami of Ohio, Larvadain caught 42 passes for 679 yards and six touchdowns this past season. As a sophomore, he recorded 59 catches for 731 yards and two touchdowns. Standing at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, Larvadain has one year of eligibility remaining.
Dalevon Campbell – Standing at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, Campbell was named an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention last season at Nevada. Appearing in all 12 games, and making nine starts, he led the Wolfpack in receiving with 594 yard on 31 receptions. Campbell has one-year of eligibility remaining.
Luke Doty – Doty has been with the program since 2020 but due to a COVID-19 season and using a redshirt year in 2022, he still has two years of eligibility remaining. Despite serving as South Carolina’s backup QB in 2023, Doty started in two games at wide receiver and caught 13 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown.
Tyshawn Russell – Russell appeared in ten games as a true freshman in 2023, including the final nine games. He caught five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
**NOTE: I’ll say it again. Aside from who’ll start on the offensive line in Week 1, trying to pick South Carolina’s top six wide receivers to start the year is like throwing darts in the dark. While I expect this top six to see changes throughout the course of the season, using the speed they have in that WR room will be key for this year’s offense. COMPLETE WR ROOM BREAKDOWN
Tight End
Joshua Simon – Appearing in all 12 games in his first season as a Gamecock, Simon will return for a sixth season of college football in 2024. Catching 28 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns he also played a key role as a blocker.
Brady Hunt – A Ball State transfer, he dealt with an ankle injury this past season but shined as a redshirt freshman in 2022, where he received several First Team All American honors. During that season, he caught 46 passes for 498 yards and five touchdowns. His five touchdowns that season were tied for the 12th-most among all tight ends in college football during the regular season. That production is why he was named to the Mackey Watch List in 2023, which is an award given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end.
**NOTE: As long as Simon stays healthy, I don’t think there’s any debate as to who’ll be South Carolina’s No.1 TE. As far as who’s No.2 goes, that’s where things will get interesting. If Hunt plays at the level he did before his injury last season, he should be in position to leapfrog both Cox and Elksnis. The only thing that could prevent this is if Tight ends coach Shawn Elliott believes he can find someone more physical as a blocker. COMPLETE TE ROOM BREAKDOWN
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Offensive Line
Tree Babalade – Appearing in 11 games with nine starts as a true freshman, ‘Big Tree’ gained plenty of experience at left tackle in 2023.
Kamaar Bell – A sixth-year senior transfer from FAU, who also spent two seasons at Auburn, Bell has experience of playing both guard and center.
Vershon Lee – Lee started in all ten games he played in, most notably at center and right tackle. The veteran offensive lineman, who also has experience of playing guard, returns in 2024 for a fifth season.
Trovon Baugh – Named a Freshman All American in 2023, Baugh appeared in 11 games and made eight starts, most notably at right guard.
Cason Henry – Injuries plagued Henry from start to finish in 2023. Appearing in just two games in what was in redshirt freshman season, he started Week 1 at right tackle.
Josiah Thompson – A 5-star offensive tackle, Thompson is considered the No.9 overall prospect for the class of 2024 by On3.
Torricelli Simpkins – The transfer arrives at South Carolina after starting in 34 games in three seasons at North Carolina Central. The 2023 MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, Simpkins was an FCS Preseason All-American Team and was also named to 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder started 12 games at center this past season.
Markee Anderson – An injury before the season opener prevented the highly touted 2023 4-star OL from playing last season. With the medical redshirt year under him, Anderson still has four years of eligibility remaining.
Jakai Moore – Moore appeared in 11 games this past season with nine starts. He played both tackle and guard. He returns for a sixth season in 2024.
**NOTE: They’ll be plenty of competition on the OL this fall camp. Especially in the interior. With more proven depth and versatile OL, the Gamecocks will have the ability to be more flexible if a certain combination works better than another. That means, don’t be surprised to see a player like Lee at right tackle or someone like Simpkins playing guard throughout the course of the season, if needed. Complete OL Room Breakdown
Defensive Tackle
Alex Huntley – Better known as ‘Boogie,’ the Hammond product started in 11 of the 12 games he played in this past season. Racking up a career high 33 tackles, he added four tackles for loss, two sacks and deflected two passes. Huntley has one year of eligibility remaining.
T.J. Sanders – Sanders had a breakout season in 2023, starting in seven of the 12 games he played in. Finishing with 43 tackles, he added 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and deflected four passes. Sanders has two years of eligibility remaining.
Tonka Hemingway – Appearing in all 12 games in 2023, Hemingway started in five games. He finished with 32 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and deflected seven passes. 2024 will be Hemingway’s fifth and final year of eligibility.
DeAndre Jules – Appearing in 12 games last season at Pittsburgh, Jules made six starts. He finished with 24 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. Jules will be a fifth-year season in 2024.
NOTES: With the returning trio of Huntley, Sanders, and Hemingway, there’s plenty of proven talent in South Carolina’s DT room. Add in transfer DeAndre Jules, and you could make a case that it’s one of the strongest rooms for the Gamecocks this season. In a perfect world, it doesn’t matter who’s starting. Being able to rotate bodies in their often throughout the game won’t only lead to fresher legs but it could lead to more production from a very talented room. COMPLETE DT ROOM BREAKDOWN
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EDGE
Bryan Thomas Jr. – Following a strong spring game performance, Thomas started in six of the 12 games he appeared in this past season. Racking up a total of 22 tackles, he was also credited with two tackles for loss, one sack, and one force fumble. Thomas has two years of eligibility remaining.
Kyle Kennard – A transfer from Georgia Tech, Kennard had 54 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, two force fumbles, and an interception last season for the Yellow Jackets. Appearing in 36 games over the past three seasons, he started in 17 of those games. A fifth-year, he has one year of eligibility remaining.
Desmond Umeozulu – Umeozulu played in all 12 games as a true freshman and finished with nine tackles. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Dylan Stewart – Regarded as a consensus five-star, Stewart is considered the No.12 overall prospect for the class of 2024 by On3.
**NOTE: If South Carolina’s DT room is 1A then the Gamecocks EDGE room is 1B when it comes to deepest room this season. Loaded with both experienced and young talent, like the DT room, expect to see plenty of different EDGE players earning playing time this season. COMPLETE EDGE ROOM BREAKDOWN
Linebacker
Debo Williams – Named first team All-SEC by the Associated Press, Phil Steele and College Football Network, Williams also earned honorable mention All-America honors from Phil Steele in 2023. Starting in all 12 games, he led the team in tackles with 113, added nine tackles for loss, had one sack and recovered a fumble.
Bam Martin-Scott – Appearing in ten of South Carolina’s games last season, he started in three games. Finishing with 38 tackles, he racked up at least ten tackles in two of the final three games of the year. Martin-Scott also racked up four tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.
Demetrius Knight – Knight arrives at South Carolina with one-year of eligibility remaining after being named First-Team All-AAC at Charlotte this past season. There, he led the 49ers in tackles with 96 as well as interceptions with three. That also included having a pick-six against Maryland. Previously at Georgia Tech, Knight played in 36 games in four seasons with the Yellow Jackets and had 51 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack.
Bangally Kamara – The fourth-leading tackler last season for Pittsburgh Kamara posted a career-high this past season with 55 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks last year. He contributed five quarterback hits and one pass breakup during the 2023 season as well. He has one year of eligibility left.
**NOTE: Who starts at LB will depend heavily on what package South Carolina’s defense is running. In a 3-3-5, I could see Williams, Martin-Scott, and Knight. In a 4-2-5, it could be Williams paired up with either Knight, Martin-Scott, or Kamara. The point is, don’t be surprised to see several of these players start this season. The only question is, who’ll get credited with the Week 1 start? COMPLETE LB ROOM BREAKDOWN
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Nickel
Jalon Kilgore – A Freshman All-American last season, Kilgore Started in 11 of the 12 games he played in. Playing both safety and nickel, he finished second on the team in tackles with 76, defended seven passes, recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, and had an interception against Tennessee.
David Spaulding – Dealing with injuries the past two years, Spaulding appeared in just three games last season. He finished with five tackles, recorded an interception, and also defended a pass. He returns for his sixth and final year of collegiate football.
**NOTE: Baring any injuries, Jalon Kilgore will likely be South Carolina’s Week 1 starter at nickel. The only question is, who’ll start the year behind him? While I expect Solomon to learn the position over time, Spaulding’s experience has me believing that he’ll be in that No.2 role to start the year. COMPLETE NICKEL ROOM BREAKDOWN
Cornerback
O’Donnell Fortune – Starting in ten of the 11 games he appeared in this past season, Fortune finished with 39 tackles, defended eight passes, had two interceptions, and a tackle for loss. He heads into the 2024 season with one year of eligibility remaining.
Judge Collier – Appearing in all 12 games as a true freshman, Collier started in two of those games last season. Also a contributor on special teams, he finished with ten tackles.
Vicari Swain – Appearing in three games as a true freshman, Swain recorded two tackles. He’ll enter the 2024 season with four years of eligibility remaining.
Jalewis Solomon – A talented four-star athlete for the class of 2024, Solomon finished with 17 interceptions during his high school career.
**NOTE: Like we’ve mention before with several other positions, the battle for the No.2 cornerback spot will feature some stiff competition. Ideally, you’d like to have three cornerbacks you can trust to play. Throughout the course of the year, having confidence in a fourth cornerback can never hurt. COMPLETE CB ROOM BREAKDOWN
Safety
Nick Emmanwori – After being named a Freshman All-American in 2022, Emmanwori finished fourth on the team in tackles last season as a sophomore. With 71 tackles, eight pass breakups, and two interceptions, the Irmo native saw the majority of his snaps at safety but he also played some nickel as well. He started in all 11 games that he played in.
DQ Smith – A former Freshman All-American, Smith started in 11 of the 12 games he played in last season as a sophomore. Finishing the year with the third most tackles on the team (73), he also complied 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one interception, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble as well. Despite mainly playing safety the past two seasons, he also saw some time at nickel last year.
Jalon Kilgore – A Freshman All-American last season, Kilgore Started in 11 of the 12 games he played in. Playing both safety and nickel, he finished second on the team in tackles with 76, defended seven passes, recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, and had an interception against Tennessee.
Gerald Kilgore – A transfer defensive back, he’s the brother of South Carolina freshman All-American Jalon Kilgore. This past season at Tennessee Tech, he appeared in 11 games and racked up 37 tackles, had five pass breakups, and was also credited with 2.5 tackles for loss. Kilgore has three years of eligibility remaining.
**NOTE: Producing three Freshman All-Americans at safety over the past two years, the competition in South Carolina’s safety room is higher than its been in quite some time. While I’m giving the leg up to Emmanwori and Smith, don’t think that Jalon Kilgore won’t put pressure on the two. Although I expect Jalon to play more nickel this season, if Emmanwori or Smith start to struggle, don’t be surprised to see him playing more safety. COMPLETE SAFETY ROOM BREAKDOWN
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