He’s a freshman Gamecock receiver working with the starters. A key factor as to why
The work South Carolina wide receiver Rico Powers did before the start of his team’s preseason camp made this possible.
The product of Atlanta had only been on campus a little more than two months. That’s not a ton of time, but when starting receiver Xavier Legette turned an ankle, it was Powers stepping in with the first team.
“That’s a credit to him,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said, “how he worked out this summer, got himself in shape. Now, does he have some busts here and there? Yes. That’s being a freshman. We like the way he practices, the way he can run, the way he competes, the way he’s learned.”
The four-star receiver had been one of the brightest spots for the Gamecocks since arriving. Bobo had spoken of some excitement to see Powers back in the spring, and thus far it seems he’s separated himself among the freshmen and moved past more than a few seasoned veterans.
At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Powers has a good mix of speed and explosiveness. He spent the early part of his high school career in a slot back role as part of a triple-option offense, before transferring to more pass-heavy Hapeville Charter.
As a senior, he caught at least 23 balls for 478 yards and four scores, a key part of an offense that averaged nearly 44 points per game and led the team to the state semifinals. On USC’s campus, there was one particular skillset that stood out to his new coordinator.
“I’ve seen a guy that practices hard every snap,” Bobo said. “Every snap he’s going full speed. He’s got himself in a condition where, I don’t know what he runs in the 40, I know he had a time on him at camp before he came here.
“But whatever he runs, he runs it all day because he’s conditioned himself to be in the best possible shape that he can be in.”
For what it’s worth, Powers had been clocked at a 4.6-second 40 at The Opening.
That language Bobo used harkened back to a comment Bobo had made earlier, for what he was looking for out of starting wide receiver Shi Smith, something he saw in one of the best players in the country. Bobo described how LSU All-American Ja’Marr Chase ran streak after streak in big games and rarely came off the field, a testament to his work on that conditioning front.
What role these early snaps translates to remains to be seen. The team is looking for someone consistent behind Smith, and was looking hard enough it moved quarterback Luke Doty over to receiver.
At the very least, he’s garnered some attention from his teammates early in camp. Both starting corners, Israel Mukuamu and Jaycee Horn mentioned him as players who showed well early. Quarterback Ryan Hilinski went a step further, highlighting the work the Georgia product was putting in well ahead of his arrival on campus.
“I can’t tell you how many times he (messaged) me asking for playbook installs, stuff he can get started on before he gets here,” Hilinski said. “And then he gets here, and then he gets here and he keeps getting better every single day.”
