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Orlin Wagner/AP/
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop
GoGamecocks.com
Ex-Gamecocks make NFL debuts today
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Kenny McKinley
David Zalubowski/AP
Written by NEIL WHITE
nwhite@thestate.com
Posted on 09.13.09
Three Gamecocks to watch
Troy Williamson | The former first-round receiver was a huge disappointment in Minnesota, but has been impressive in preseason with Jacksonville. Williamson has shown increased confidence as he looks to provide the Jaguars with a deep threat.
John Abraham | Will the 10th year veteran defensive end show signs of age? The savvy Abraham established a Falcons record with 16½ sacks last season, a career-high that ranked third in the league.
Ryan Succop | The NFL’s “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last choice in the draft left that moniker behind with a strong spring and summer.
Kenny McKinley left South Carolina’s football program as the career leader in receptions.
Now he’s ready to start catching passes for the Denver Broncos when they open the NFL regular season today in Cincinnati.
“I can’t wait,” McKinley said. “This is a lifelong dream.”
The 6-foot, 189-pound wide receiver, a fifth-round draft choice, was one of seven USC players selected in April, the most in school history since 1954.
Five of the seven made opening-game rosters with the teams that drafted them: McKinley; tight end Jared Cook, Tennessee (3rd round); linebacker Jasper Brinkley, Minnesota (5th); cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, Carolina (7th); and kicker Ryan Succop, Kansas City (7th).
Offensive lineman Jamon Meredith, a fifth-round pick of Green Bay, is on the team’s development squad but USC’s seventh drafted player, defensive back Stoney Woodson, was cut by the New York Giants after being picked in the seventh round. Undrafted safety Emanuel Cook was cut by the New York Jets, as was Carlos Thomas by the San Francisco 49ers.
“It’s exciting to see what the South Carolina guys have done. The program is on the way up,” said McKinley, who led the Broncos with 16 catches for 213 yards and one touchdown in the preseason.
Munnerlyn, the 5-8, 186-pound cornerback who left USC after his junior season, said he still talks frequently with McKinley and Brinkley.
“They’re like my big brothers,” said Munnerlyn, whose Panthers play host to Philadelphia today. “When they told me they had made the team, it was so exciting.”
Succop, who earned the title of Mr. Irrelevant as the final pick of the draft, admitted sharing the experience has made it better. He saw Brinkley and Sidney Rice when the Chiefs played the Vikings in the preseason. He ran into his former teammates at the NFL rookie symposium. And he got to see McKinley catch a bunch of passes on TV one night.
“I’ve stayed in touch with some guys,” Succop said. “It’s fun going through this with your teammates from college. It’s very exciting.”
The 6-1, 252-pound Brinkley called himself both “pleased and proud” to be wearing a uniform when the Vikings take the field at Cleveland today.
“This is truly a dream to play in the National Football League,” he said.
All the dreams became reality through hard work. Despite there not being a top-round pick among them, they found ways to stick. Brinkley, who led the Vikings with 20 tackles in the preseason, refused to let doubt creep into his mind.
“You can’t go in being worried about what you can’t control,” he said. “I worried about what I can control, like playing hard and giving 100 percent. You want to make it hard on the coach (to cut you).”
The players understand preseason stats mean little, especially with starters not playing much. Both Brinkley and McKinley are expecting to primarily play on special teams.
McKinley also refused to allow himself to think he might not make it to opening day.
“I had the attitude instilled in me that I would make the team regardless,” McKinley said. “I played hard enough that everything worked out for me. I’m glad with what I’ve accomplished.”
Those 16 catches did not hurt, either.
“I’ve gained a lot of confidence,” he said. “I know the things I can do. I’ve been doing them in college, and I’ve been doing them in high school. I just had to keep doing them here.”
Succop and Munnerlyn had the same approaches, and both of them have landed prominent roles. Succop, who was one of two kickers picked in this year’s draft, made 7-of-9 field goals in the preseason. He will get his first real opportunity at Baltimore today.
“You always have to go in there and compete. You’re not only competing with the other guys on the Chiefs but with all the kickers around the league,” he said. “I was blessed to have a really good camp.”
Munnerlyn will be the Panthers’ third cornerback. He has gotten used to being undersized in the pro game.
“I just felt like I was a freshman again in college,” he said. “I showed up with a chip on my shoulder. I knew I had to make the team, but I was determined to do it. I love football. This is my life. I had a great camp, and it worked out.”
Munnerlyn also has not left his talkative, upbeat attitude behind as he moved to Charlotte.
“I mess with the guys a lot. I tell them I’m going to lead the team in interceptions,” he said. “I tell the veterans that all the time. That’s kind of funny to them.”
Jared Cook got to christen his season first with Thursday’s game between the Titans and Steelers, but did he did not make a catch.
McKinley remains to thrilled to be putting on a uniform on Sundays.
“Whatever the coach wants me to do, I’ll do it 100 percent,” he said. “I’m just going to try to work to get time at receiver.”
Reach White at (803) 771-8643.
USC players in the NFL
| Player | Pos. | Team | Exp. |
| John Abraham | DE | Atlanta | 10 |
| Fred Bennett | CB | Houston | 3 |
| Jasper Brinkley | LB | Minnesota | R |
| *Nehemiah Broughton | FB | N.Y. Giants | 5 |
| Sheldon Brown | CB | Philadelphia | 8 |
| *Emanuel Cook | S | N.Y. Jets | R |
| Jared Cook | TE | Tennessee | R |
| Andre Goodman | CB | Denver | 8 |
| Jonathan Joseph | CB | Cincinnati | 4 |
| Lance Laury | LB | Seattle | 4 |
| Kenny McKinley | WR | Denver | R |
| *Jamon Meredith | OT | Green Bay | R |
| Captain Munnerlyn | CB | Carolina | R |
| Jamar Nesbit | G | New Orleans | 11 |
| Dunta Robinson | CB | Houston | 6 |
| Ryan Succop | K | Kansas City | R |
| Travelle Wharton | G | Carolina | 6 |
| Troy Williamson | WR | Jacksonville | 5 |
| Rod Wilson | LB | Tampa Bay | 3 |
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