Before the season I broke down the best prospects on the South Carolina football team. The Gamecocks are 4-3 on the year in Shane Beamer’s first season manning the sidelines. He inherited some promising NFL Draft prospects from former coach Will Muschamp and brought in a handful of transfers that may end up as fringe draftable talents.
Let’s break down all of the South Carolina Gamecocks on the Draft Countdown watchlist in order from highest draft potential to lowest.
EDGE Kingsley Enagbare Sr 6-3 260
It seems every week I have been raving about Enagbare. He is one of the best in the nation at getting after the QB. With his closing speed and bend, Enagbare disrupts the opposing QBs often. In both mine and Shane’s most recent mock drafts, we have had him being selected in the top ten. Enagabare has 4.5 sacks and eight hurries credited to his name with several others that have led to his teammates cleaning up.
DL Zacch Pickens Jr 6-3 305
Pickens has really emerged this year and it seems he has made those gains in the weight room. Pickens has made several plays this season where he simply just overpowered his opponent. I have really enjoyed seeing him take over plays. On the year, Pickens has 3.5 sacks and 11 solo tackles. If he declares, I think Pickens can be an early selection on day two with starter upside.
S Jaylan Foster Sr 5-10 195
Foster is a great story of perseverance. He came to South Carolina as a walk-on transfer from Gardner-Webb. He then played sparingly for a few years before taking over as a starter in 2021. Foster has played out of his mind. You could argue, that outside of Kyle Hamilton of Notre Dame, no safety is having a better year than Jaylan Foster. I don’t know if he is an overly great athlete. But I do know that he has a knack for finding the football and making big plays. Foster has been a great open-field tackler this season. Thus far, Foster has 40 solo tackles which are 18 more than the nearest Gamecock defender. Foster also has four interceptions and two forced fumbles. Day one when he enters the NFL, Foster will be a core special teams player. He probably comes off the board early on day three with the potential to start as a rookie.
RB Kevin Harris Jr 5-10 225
Kevin Harris led the SEC in yards per game last year, so the hype train was immense coming into 2021. Unfortunately, Harris had to have back surgery before the season and he has been slow to return to form. Every once and again you get a glimpse of the skills, but it is easy to see that he doesn’t have the juice. It isn’t helping him that the South Carolina offensive line has been a dumpster fire all season. Harris is averaging a brutal 39.5 yards per game this season on the ground. If Harris declares for the draft, he likely goes in the 5th-round at the highest with a chance to go undrafted.
WR Josh Vann Sr 5-11 190
Like Jaylan Foster, Josh Vann is another late developer. He was highly recruited but for some reason or another just couldn’t get onto the field consistently. Vann has been mostly a deep threat this year for South Carolina, particularly in the game against Georgia. Vann isn’t an accomplished route runner but he has solid hands. His forty times will determine how high he comes off the board (if at all). Vann has special teams experience to help his cause. So far in 2021, he has caught 22 passes for 399 yards and two TDs.
EDGE Jordan Strachan Sr 6-4 220
Strachan led the nation in sacks last year at Georgia State. That hasn’t translated to South Carolina this season but he has been active. Strachan has rotated at defensive end this year and has managed six solo tackles, one sack, and one interception. He will probably have to transition to an off-ball linebacker spot to make it in the NFL. I would expect him to get a chance to show that at one of the second-tier all-star games like the NFLPA or Hula Bowl.
TE Nick Muse Sr 6-3 232
Muse is just a solid tight end with an elongated injury history. His production has suffered from the rest of the porous offensive performances this season. To this point in the season, Muse has caught 12 passes for 133 yards and two scores. Muse’s ceiling in the NFL is that of a #3 TE/core special teamer.
TE EJ Jenkins Sr 6-7 242
EJ Jenkins transferred in from St Francis (NY). He has a huge catch radius and is a good athlete in the open field. Jenkins still doesn’t know how to play the position but I think he has a ton of upside, especially as a red zone threat. He only has four catches in six games for 56 yards and a TC. But you get flashes. Could a team take a late-round flier on him? Probably not. But he has a decent shot to make a 90-man roster.
K Parker White Sr 6-5 205
Parker White has a big leg with a max range of around 60 yards. Until last week, he hadn’t missed a kick in 2021. Then he shanked a 38-yard kick against Vanderbilt. I am firmly on team never draft a kicker and I wouldn’t draft Parker White either. I do think he will be one of the two placekickers at either the Senior Bowl or Shrine Bowl.
OT Dylan Wonnum Sr 6-5 310
Wonnum came into this season with high expectations but he, like the rest of the South Carolina offensive line this season, has been atrocious. Before last week, Gamecock RBs were averaging less than a yard before contact. Wonnum has been a turnstile on the edge and has been replaced for ineffectiveness more than once. An offensive line coach worth his salt may be able to mine a backup swing tackle out of Wonnum as an undrafted free agent. That is his peak in my opinion.
LB Sherrod Greene Sr 6-1 230
Greene is much higher on this list if he wouldn’t have shattered his ankle in the Georgia game. Greene is a nice run and chase backer. I don’t know how his eligibility will work but there may be a chance he can return to Columbia next year. If not, he will need a quick rehab in order to be able to test well enough to make a team. Either by draft or UDFA.